𝓢𝔀𝓪𝓶𝓲 𝓢𝓲𝓿𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓪 𝓢𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓼𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓲 - 𝙀-𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙆𝙎

ETHICS OF
THE BHAGAVAD
Ce} by WN

Swami Sivananda

ETHICS OF
THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Su Swami Stvananda

Published by

THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, India

Price ] 2009 [ 85/-

First Edition: 1957
Second Edition: 1995
Third Edition: 2009

[ 1,000 Copies }

©The Divine Life Trust Society

ISBN 81-7052-099-1
ES221

Published by Swami Padmanabhananda for
The Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, and printed
by him at the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy Press,
P.O. Shivanandanagar, Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand,
Himalayas, India

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family
of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints
and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life
devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this
was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of
unity with all mankind.

His passion for service drew him to the medical career;
and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service
was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been
editing a health journal and wrote extensively on health prob-
lems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most
of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own
mission.

It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon
mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career
and took to a life of renunciation to qualify for ministering to the
soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practised in-
tense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, saint, sage and
Jivanmukta.

In 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivanandashram.
In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the
Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organised. Dissemination
of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and
Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 Swamiji undertook
a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 Swamiji convened
a ‘World Parliament of Religions’. Swamiji is the author of over
300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to
all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji's works
is to drink at the Fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July,
1963 Swamiji entered Mahasamadhi.

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Soon after Sri Swami Sivananda’s dynamic All-India Tour
in 1950, the idea occurred to him that a book must be written on
the “Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita”. This precious and highly in-
spiring volume is the fruit of that Sat-Sankalpa.

These illuminating essays on the Gita were first published
by the “Voice of Sivananda’” the official organ of the Divine Life
Society, Madurai Branch.

Aseries of essays on “The Lessons of the Bhagavad Gita”
which, too, were published serially in that Journal, are also in-
cluded in the present volume.

We are confident that this volume would prove to be of
great benefit to seekers after Truth.

—THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

(6)

GITA—BIBLE OF HUMANITY

(Sri Swami Sivananda)

Gita is the cream of the Upanishads. Itis the crest-jewel of
Mahabharata. It is an epitome of all the Vedic teachings.

Lord Krishna gave His Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of
Kurukshetra and through Arjuna to the whole world at large.

Gita is an Upanishad. It is Brahma Vidya, the science of
Brahman. It is Yoga Sastra. It is the Bible of humanity at large.

The Upanishads are the cows, the Divine cowherd
Krishna is the milkman, Arjuna is the calf, a wise man is the
drinker of the milk and the nectar-like Gita is the immortal milk.

The teachings of the Gita are valid for all times and for all
religious life.

He who is assiduously practising the teachings of the Gita
in his daily life is liberated. He is not tainted by Karma.

Millions of people have found comfort, solace and happi-
ness in this great work. It serves as a light to all. It sets forth the
fundamental principles of religion and Divine Life.

If anyone lives on the spirit of even one verse of the Gita, if
he meditates on the significance of the Sloka, he will attain im-
mortal bliss.

Gita frees man from sorrow and delusion and the chains of
Samsara and guarantees him emancipation here and hereaf-
ter.

Practice of the teaching of a single verse of the Gita is suf-
ficient to bring about a great revolution in one’s mind and a
complete transformation of one’s life.

(7)

SAPTA SLOKI GITA

MAAR TS ARTS |
a: Walla eee G ala eT TALI

1. Uttering the one-syllabled OM—the Brahman— and re-
membering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the
Supreme Goal. (Ch. VilI—13)

Tar etiea a TAH, TITeITA |
zatifea staf feat gata, ad wrested a feet: I

2. Itis meet, O Hrishikesha! that the world delights and re-
joices in Thy praise; Rakshasas fly in fear to all quarters, and all
the hosts of Siddhas bow to Thee. (Ch. XI—36)

ada: onftrrd aerdatsarnigay |
ada: aferecites adage fearsater il

3. With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and

mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere, He exists in the
world, enveloping all, (Ch. XIlI—13)

apf GETTER TST: |
Waar Tae GAS: TAT

4. He who meditates on the Omniscient, the Ancient, the
Ruler (of the whole world), minuter than an atom, the Supporter
of all, of form inconceivable, effulgent like the Sun and beyond
the darkness (of ignorance) at the time of death, goes to the
Supreme Resplendent Purusha. (Ch. VIlI—9)

PAT T MGA AA WR |
waite ae voi aed ae a aaa!
(8)

5. They (the wise people) speak of the indestructible
Asvattha having its root above and branches below, whose
leaves are the metres or hymns; he who knows it is a knower of
the Vedas. (Ch. XV—1)

wader are efe afafaet aa: eftairdet a1
ada adel Aah Aarcnaatrea ae II

6. | am seated in the hearts of all; from Me are memory,
knowledge, as well as their absence, born. | am verily that
which has to be known by all the Vedas; | am indeed the author
of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas also am |, (Ch.
xXV—15)

HAT Wa HHL Hersh Hi AHS |
HBSwafe qacdanrcart HeRTAM: ||

7. Fix thy mind on Me: be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me,
bow down to Me; having thus united thy (whole self) to Me, tak-
ing Me as the Supreme Goal, thou shalt surely come unto Me.
(Ch, IX—34)

(9)

EKA SLOKI GITA

aa alae: GOH FA TAA TGA: |
ea ofthese saferefar Atfertfeea i

Wherever is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, wher-
ever is Partha, the wielder of the bow, there are
prosperity, victory, happiness and firm policy; such
is my conviction. (Ch. XVIII—78)

(10)

PRATIJNA GITA

(The Song of Assurance)

Gita has a message for the solace, peace, freedom and
perfection of all human beings. In this book alone, the Lord
gives His definite word of assurance or promise and exhorta-
tion at every step to the aspirant. He says:

Ferftenaistea sera a fered |
mere wer ard wed ATE II

In this there is no loss of effort, nor is there transgression.
Even a little of this knowledge protects from great fear. (Ch.
II—40)

wef tae arya ference fer |
a fe eearorepenfarg atte are treefe II

O Son of Pritha, neither in this world, nor in the next life is
there destruction for him; none, verily, who does good, comes
to grief, (Ch. VI—40.)

fers safe safc wearer Perch |
alata ofesrtife a A en: sorgafe I

Soon he becomes righteous and attains to eternal peace,
O Kaunteya, know thou for certain that My devotee is never de-
stroyed. (Ch, IX—31)

sree at ay sat: TaTaG |
aot Pentima amas gerry ||
To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other,
ever harmonious, | bring full security. (Ch. IX—22)
(11)

aft safe area: wae: TET: |

wd areata ast aaheeata II

Even if thou art the most sinful of all sinners, yet thou shalt
verily cross over all sin by the raft of knowledge. (Ch. |V—36)

AAT Ya Hach Tesh AT TAH |
Hmaeates ae a afer frente FI
Fix thy mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow

down to Me. Thou shalt come even to Me; truly do | promise
unto thee, (for) thou art dear to Me. (Ch. XVIII—65)

Aas Bsa PTAA NTT |
warty a ferent aerate

For them whose mind is set an Me, verily | become ere
long the Saviour out of the ocean of the mortal Samsara. (Ch.
Xxll—7)

aed erafeaitcrsa ac Io TST |
we car aoa Hreaereny at TA: II

Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone; | will liber-
ate thee from all sins; grieve not. (Ch. XVIII—66)

Itis lamentable, indeed, that even after reading these as-
surances of Lord Krishna Himself, people do not take seriously
to Yoga Sadhana.

May the blessings of Lord Krishna be upon you all.

(12)

CONTENTS

Publishers’ Note, i: 2s ces ce mie de aen ee Hes

Gita—Bible of Humanity . .

Sapta-SIokiGlta., . 2 sere nes eee sew
Eka SlokiGita..c oi aa sen eu am sG HES

Pratijna Gita

ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Introduction: The Corner-stones of the Gita-ethics . .

Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter

Chapter 10:

G
: Gita-ethics, the Subtle Middle-path . . ;
i Manand God. <sc< ,emes nes
: The GodlessMan............
PGodiniMan 2. 0.526 wees cae
: Gateway togrief... 2.2.2.2...
: The New Testament of Renunciation . .
: Guru and Disciple... .. 2.22...
: The Supreme Importance of

OMNONALWHN

Ethics, the Fragrance of Wisdom .. . -

Right Thinking... 2. 22 ee
Purification of Self. 2... 2... ee

Chapter 11: The Gospel of Fearlessness.......

Chapter 12:
Chapter 13:
Chapter 14:
Chapter 15:

Chapter 16:
Chapter 17:

Cosmic Love: The Key to Blessedness .
The Dynamics of Selfless Service. . . .
Man and Humanity... 2.2.2.0...

The Four Castes in Society and
Their Special Duties... .....

Sweet Notes from Sri Krishna's Flute . .
Selfsurrender . 2. ee ee mies

Chapter 18: The Character of a Sthitaprajna. . .. .

(13)

10
an

19
23
26
31
34
37
39
42
45

48
50
54
60
62
65

70
74
80
82

GITA JAYANTI MESSAGES
1942 Message ofthe Gita... 2.0... 0.0.0.4.

1943 The Bhagavad Gita: Its Importance and
Significance 2.0056 2s

1944 Gita—The Source of Power ..........
1945 Gita—The Universal Scripture... ......
1946 Philosophy of the Gita... ......024.
1947 Call ofthe Supreme... . 2... -. 25085
1948 A-Scripture for All. 2. ee
1948 Yoga of Synthesis... .............
1949 The Ancient Gospel to Modern Mankind . . . .
1950 The Yoga ofthe Gita ............-..-
1951 Live in the Spirit of the Gia... 2.2.2.5...
1952 Gita: The Guiding Light... 2... ...0.8,
1953 Plenitude: The LawofLife .........-.
1954 Purna Brahma Yoga ............8.
1955 India’s Message to the World of Today, .. . .
1956 The Gospel of Karma Yoga. ..........

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE
Chapter 1: The Despondency of Arjuna .......
Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga... 2... 0. ee eee
Chapter 3: The Yoga ofAction........-...
Chapter 4: The YogaofWisdom ...........
Chapter 5: The Yoga of Renunciation of Action. . . .
Chapter 6: The Yoga of Meditation. .........
Chapter 7: The Yogaof Wisdom ...........
Chapter 8: The Yoga of Imperishable Brahman . . .

Chapter 9: The Yoga of Kingly Science and
Kingly Secret. . oe ke ee AE

(14)

87

89

93

95

98
100.
103
107
110
113
15
117
119
122
125
127

133
134
135
135
137
138
140
141

142

Chapter 10: The Yoga of Divine.Glories ...... . 143

Chapter 11: The Yoga of the Vision of the
Cosmic Form. = 2. oa a 145

Chapter 12: The Yoga of Devotion 146
Chapter 13: The Yoga of Distinction Between the

Field and Knower of the Field . . . 147
Chapter 14: The Yoga of the Division of

the Three Gunas.......... 149
Chapter 15: The Yoga of Supreme Purusha ... . . 150
Chapter 16: The Yoga of Division Between the

Divine and the Demoniacal . . . . 151
Chapter 17: The Yoga of the Threefold Faith. . . . . 153
Chapter 18: The Yoga of Liberation

by Renunciation... ....... 154

LESSONS FROM THE GITA

Why Was Gita Taught on the Battlefield?.. ..... 159
The Characters of the Gita... ........,., 163
Duryodhana Vs. Arjuna on the

Spiritual War-front. . 2.2... 167
Cleve Nok g.wos ca rvamn een hence ee 170
The Man You Hate Is Your Own Self... 2.2... . 172
The Spirit ls Our First Consideration... 2.0... 173
The Technique of Buddhi-culture........... 175
Perfection in Buddhi-Yoga .............. 178
To Work or NottoWork. 2... 2.22.02. 0G, 182
TheProblemofSin. 0... ee eee ees 185
Where te God? oo cece bees beeeae 188

(15)

qe ed ROAST |
CAATRAS FO Ss HTS II

ETHICS OF
THE BHAGAVAD GITA

warafyal mal eben alge: |
Treat aca: yehisiteer get ars wed I

Ta TAA ATGeaTa |

(17)

Introduction

THE CORNER-STONES OF THE GITA-ETHICS

Salutations to Lord Sri Krishna, the Sweetest Manifesta-
tion of the Supreme Being! Salutations to Srimad Bhagavad
Gita, the Word of God! Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

What You Say Is the Expression of What You Are

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the Gospel of Sri Krishna. Sri
Krishna is regarded as the Purna-Avatara of God. He was per-
fect in every respect. God is All-pervading; Sri Krishna's
life-on-earth, too, was all-comprehensive. Study Srimad
Bhagavata and the Mahabharata. You will understand what a
multi-faceted diamond Sri Krishna was. He was a wonderful
child, divine boy, resplendent youth, dearest friend, mighty war-
rior, wise administrator, sweet comrade, master of diplomacy,
protector of the meek, death of the wicked, preserver of
Dharma, clever strategist, humble servant, obedient pupil, duti-
ful son, loving husband and Supreme Guru. These and count-
less others are but aspects of His Immanence as Krishna.
Above all these, He is God Who, in His own transcendental na-
ture, is the Lord of lords, the Father and Mother of all creation,
the very Soul of all that exists. He is the Substratum of all exis-
tence. He is the Reality, immortal, eternal, infinite and absolute.
He Is not only immortal but Immortality Itself.

It is, therefore, in the fitness of things that the Scripture
that He propounded should partake of all these great virtues
that characterised His Divine Manifestation and His transcen-
dental Nature. The Bhagavad Gita is so comprehensive that
everyone can draw inspiration and guidance from it, whatever
his social status may be, whatever his profession and in what-
ever stage of spiritual evolution he may be. For, into the
Bhagavad Gita the Lord has woven a beautiful and universal
pattern of ethics that would appeal and apply to all. The grand
edifice of the Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita has been built on the
Eternal Corner-stones of (1) Immortality of the Soul; (2) Imma-

(19)

20 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

nence of God; (3) Impermanence of the world; (4) Immediacy
of Liberation. Because these truths are universal, the Ethics of
the Bhagavad Gita also have universal application.

Existing as He does as the very Immortal Principle in all
beings, Lord Krishna proclaims with unimpeachable authority,
the Immortality of the Soul. Being manifest here in this world as
the very life and soul of all beings, He reveals the Immanence
of God. Being the witness of the actions of Prakriti and the in-
terplay of the Gunas, and in the perfect knowledge of the na-
ture of this play of the Gunas, He declares that the objects of
the world are evanescent, that all that is born must die, that all
that is created must perish. Being the One who is conscious of
the One Imperishable, Indivisible Truth which is never affected
by the illusory play of Prakriti in which the Jiva which is essen-
tially one with that Supreme Being dreams that he is
dumb-driven and bound, the Lord asserts that Liberation is
possible here and now.

The thundering revelation of the Immortality of the Soul in
the Sloka: Ajo Nityah-sasvatoyam Purano Na Hanyate
Hanyamane Sarire warns man not to deceive himself by trying
to ignore the Law of Karma, the Law of Rebirth and the Law of
Retribution. The soul within him does not die with the death of
the body; and, so long as it does not liberate itself by attaining
Jnana, is bound to reap the harvest of the seeds it has sown in
this birth—Dhruvam Janma-Mritasya. The Jiva which imagines
that it is the doer of an action is bound to it by an invisible thread
called attachment. The action is a rubber ball with a long rubber
band attached to it which is given to the children to play with;
one end of the band is tied to the finger of the child and he
throws the ball on the ground; and the ball promptly rebounds
to the child’s hand. Similarly, every action performed by you
with the idea that you are doing it, with a desire to attain a cer-
tain end, is bound to rebound on you sooner or later, in this birth
or in another. Death itself is but gaing from one room to an-
other; and so long as the band of attachment is not broken by
the knife of non-attachment (Asanga Sastrena Dridhena
Chhitva) and the knot of desire born of ignorance is not loos-
ened; the ball of action is bound to come back. One who real-

THE CORNER-STONES OF THE GITA-ETHICS 21

ises this will do no evil. It is ignorance of the immortality of the
soul and the inevitable working of the law of action and reaction
that makes the wicked man to go his evil way. The wise man
dismisses the misfortunes that may befall him as the working
out of the evil Karmas of a previous birth and is indifferent to
them; and he is active in cultivating goodness and in doing
good, convinced, in the words of Sri Krishna, “that the doer of
good never comes by evil” and that in the life to come, he will
not only be free from misery and misfortune, but will get greater
opportunities of progressing more rapidly towards the goal,
viz., Jnana. The doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul is, there-
fore, the most important corner-stone in the Gita-ethics.

The next is the revelation of the Immanence of God. God
is not a cruel monarch or just a benevolent deity sitting on a
golden throne in a far-away city depending for his knowledge of
your actions on agents and spies. He is the Indweller of every-
one. He is the Witness of your thoughts. People around you
watch your actions and hear your words; God watches not only
your actions, but the motives that prompt them; He hears not
only your words but the whisper of your heart's intentions. It is
therefore that Lord Jesus, too, said: “Thy Father which seeth in
secret shall reward thee openly.” The doctrine of the Imma-
nence of God exposes, too, the hypocrite who pretends to wor-
ship God in a shrine, ignoring the Lord walking bare-bodied on
the road with a begging-bowl in hand, who is writhing in pain,
groaning under subjection and groping in the darkness of igno-
rance—the disguises assumed by Him to test your sincerity
and to give you a chance to worship Him truly, and to attain Him
here and now. Look up, and see your Lord watching you
through the eyes of everyone you meet. Have you got the sin-
cerity to recognise Him? Then you are fit to realise God and
your own Immortality. He is here, near you; and in order to bring
this fact graphically before you, Sri Krishna describes Himself
as the several manifestations set forth in the Vibhuti Yoga of the
Bhagavad Gita.

The third—the doctrine of the impermanence of the
world—is a stern warning against your setting too much store by
the things of this world. The greatest treasure you acquire is but

22 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

straw! The least that you do to the Lord immanent in all around
you is the key to inexhaustible treasure. The things that you ac-
quire are of this world which will pass away; but by the service you
render to God immanent here, you are watering the plant of Im-
mortality. Remember; the things that you possess, and the whole
world; not only this world which is but a mere speck of dust in this
universe, but the universe itself; not only this but countless uni-
verses that constitute creation—are but objects of a passing
dream of the Supreme Being. Grabbing them is like catching hold
of a cobra mistaking it for a rope to tie round the waist as belt.
Great is the misery of one who takes the world as reality and runs
after the pleasures of the world. Supreme Bliss is the prize that
awaits one who, understanding the evanescence of the world, ap-
plies himself to Namasmarana, Japa, Kirtan, selfless service, re-
nunciation and meditation, in short, to the life divine.

To such a one liberation is promised here and now. One
who, through knowledge of the Immortality of the Soul, the Im-
manence of God and the impermanence of the world, casts off
attachment to the world and the actions of Prakriti, attains Lib-
eration here and now—l/haiva Tairjitah sargo Yesham Samye
Sthitam Manah, Nirdosham Hi Samam Brahma Tasmat
Brahmani Te Sthitah. Not only that; the true devotee of the Lord
attains Him quite easily: Tasyaham Sulabhah Partha
Nityayuktasya Yoginah. This doctrine of the Immediacy of Lib-
eration, this doctrine of hope, is the great incentive to the dili-
gent student of the Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita and is,
therefore, the fourth important corner-stone of the Ethics of the
Bhagavad Gita.

May the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna be upon you all!
May you all attain Liberation from bondage here and now!

Chapter One
ETHICS: THE FRAGRANCE OF WISDOM

True, Lord Sri Krishna killed many Asuras in a playful
manner, even while He was a mere boy, and during His life on
this earth had rid it of diabolical people. He took His birth here
with the specific purpose, and He achieved it in a spectacular
manner.

But, that was nothing compared to the transformation He
had brought about in the heart of Man. The greatest enemy of
Dharma has always been in the heart of Man. Dharma had to
be rescued from the clutches of the demon of unrighteous
heart.

No one who studies the Bala-Leelas of Lord Krishna
would fail to be struck with wonder at the ingenuity of this Divine
Child that He displayed in dealing with the Asuras. He was very
clever, original and ingenious. Was He not God Himself! Even
in the case of restoration of Dharma He displayed super-divine
cleverness.

Itis very easy to deal with the rank materialist, the man of
openly vicious nature, the human brute; his unrighteousness is
patent and it is easy to convince people of the need to keep
away from him. Such vicious people are not as many as those
who are extremely vicious at heart, whose conscience is en-
shrouded in ignorance, and through whose veins flows the
deadly venom of selfishness, greed, lust, anger and egoism,
but who knavishly presume an authority to teach people, to
guide people along “the path of righteousness.” Often, the devil
quotes scriptures; and itis to the common man to detect the ti-
ger masquerading in the garb of a cow, before it is too late to
save himself. And yet these Asuric people who go about
preaching “Dharma” to other people cause greater havoc than
the outspokenly vicious persons; for, the former not only ruin
themselves but ruin the lives of others also.

(23)

24 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

It is by the rescue of Dharma from the clutches of these
misleaders of mankind that the Lord has truly fulfilled the
self-imposed task of restoration of Dharma. Mercilessly He ex-
poses these hypocrites by defining Jnana in terms of ethics! He
has given a completely revolutionary definition of Jnana.

Amanitvamadambhitvamahimsa Kshantirarjavam,

Acharyopasanam Saucham Sthairyamaatmavinigrahah.

Indriyartheshu Vairagyamanahamkara Eva Cha,
Janmamrityujaravyadhi Duhkhadoshaanudarshanam.

Asaktiranabhishvangah Putradaragrihadishu,
Nityam Cha Samachittatvamishtaanishtopapattishu.

Mayi Chaananyayogena Bhaktiravyabhicharini,
Viviktadesasevitvamaratirjanasamsadi.

Adhyatmajnananityatvam Tattvajnanarthadarsanam,

Etat Jnanamiti Proktamajnanam Yadatonyatha.

“Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, up-
tightness, service of the teacher, purity, steadfastness,
self-control; indifference to the objects of the senses, absence
of egoism, perception of or reflection over the evil in birth,
death, old age, sickness and pain, non-attachment, non-identi-
fication of Self with son, wife, home and the rest, constant
even-mindedness on the attainment, of the desirable and the
undesirable, unswerving devotion unto Me by the Yoga of
non-separation, resort to solitary places, distaste for the soci-
ely of men, constancy in Self-knowledge, perception of the end
of true knowledge—this is declared to be Knowledge and what
is opposite to it is ignorance."

Study the Bhagavad Gita again and again, Repeatedly
Krishna extols righteousness. The greatest Bhakta is—not one
who goes on rolling the beads, with selfishness, lust, anger and
greed enshrined in his heart but—one who is endowed with all
auspicious qualities, and who is devoted to the welfare of hu-
manity. So is a Sthitaprajna or a Gunatita. Lord Krishna does
not define Jnana as scriptural erudition or an intellectual appre-
ciation of philosophic truths or the capacity and cleverness to
string words together and to indulge in vain debating. He de-

ETHICS: THE FRAGRANCE OF WISDOM 25

fines Jnana as the sum-total of the best of virtues! Read the
thirteenth chapter of the Gita: you will understand clearly.

Now the hypocrites are exposed; and people are fore-
warned from being deceived by hypocrites. The Lord says:
watch for these qualities in a man. If they are present, he is a
Jnani, a saint; you can safely follow him and adopt him as your
spiritual guide. If they are absent, avoid him, even though he
may be an expert in the play of words and has learnt the whole
of the Vedas and Sastras by heart.

For, if you find that a tree is full of mango-fruits, you need
not dig up the earth to see if the tree has sprung up from
mango-seed or from any other. “Know him by the fruits." If igno-
rance dwells in his heart, though the words appear to be words
of wisdom, they are in fact the tentacles of the Adharma-octopus
that dwells in the depths of his heart. How can a person pour
out nectar from a jug that contains the deadliest poison? So,
beware. All that glitters is not gold. Here is the touchstone of
true wisdom—ETHICS. Here is the easiest way of distinguish-
ing the real flower from the paper-flower: fragrance! Ethics is
the fragrance of wisdom.

Chapter Two
GITA-ETHICS: THE SUBTLE MIDDLE-PATH

Yuktahara Viharasya Yukta Cheshtasya Karmasu,
Yukta-Svapnaavabodhasya Yogo Bhavati Duhkhahaa.

This Sloka sums up the Gita-ethics very nicely. The foolish
extremes should be avoided; for they lead to the destination
that is diametrically opposite to your goal. This is a simple but
subtle truth which can be understood only by the diligent stu-
dent of the Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita. To cite a simple in-
stance, the man practising humility will go to the extreme of
developing a pride in his own humility! The feeling that “I am
humble" is as dangerous an obstacle as (if not more so than)
the feeling “| am a powerful emperor”; the pride of erudition in
the Sastras is as great an evil as pride in the knowledge of
mundane sciences; and the man who rightly resolves to study
the scriptures for his own enlightenment almost without his own
knowledge slips into the extreme of intellectual dyspepsia
which results in non-assimilation of the essence and vomiting
of undigested material!

Neither misuse nor disuse, but proper use is the
Gita-Yoga. In fact, the very word YOGA signifies this. It is the
conjunction of two, the union of two, the point at which the two
opposites meet; it is a confluence which is neither this nor that,
where this meets that and the two beautifully blend into one.

The Lord has merely cited the two examples of eating and
sleeping and has commanded you not to go to the extremes of
fasting or indulgence, wakefulness or sloth. But the principle
should be applied to all the activities of man, to the entire life it-
self. This is the central teaching of the Bhagavad Gita.

In fact, the very opening chapter of the Gita teaches this.
Duryodhana shook with fear because he betrayed ignorance of
Dharma (he had learned the Sastras, but had not known how to
apply them to the situations that arise in life); Arjuna was
haunted by an ill-digested knowledge of the Sastras. Lord Sri

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GITA-ETHICS: THE SUBTLE MIDDLE-PATH 27

Krishna teaches him the secrets of Dharma of which He Him-
self says: “What to do and what not to do is a problem that often
puzzles the wisest among men; therefore | am telling you the
Truth about Karma, a knowledge of which will free you from all
sin.” Granite-hearted cruelty and bestiality (which Duryodhana
represented and misplaced sympathy or extreme chicken-
heartedness which is nothing but weakness are both enemies
of Dharma. Following the Middle path of Wisdom, as described
in Mamanusmara Yudhya cha (meditate upon Me and do thy
duty—Gita), Chitte kripa Samara-Nishthurata cha Drishtaa (in
You, Mother, Compassion of the Heart and ruthless destruction
of evil are seen to dwell together—Devi Mahatmya).

The technique of this right action is not easy to under-
stand. The condition pre-requisite to the performance of action
in the right spirit is complete annihilation of egoism. Egoism
cuts both ways! Neither action, nor inaction, based on egoism,
is right. "The deluded soul thinks he is the doer of an action,
blinded by egoism” and “if you in the wrong belief that you are
the doer, desist from action, you will fail"—both these declara-
tions of the Lord clearly point to the Middle Path of Egoless Ac-
tion. “Why do you imagine that you are fighting? Become an
Instrument in My Hands! Nimitta-Matram Bhava," says the
Lord. In fact, the entire universe is maintained by His Will and
Power alone; /svarassarvabhutaanam Hriddeserjuna Tishthati;
Bhramayan Sarvabhutani Yantrarudhani Mayayaa. (The Lord
is seated in the hearts of all beings; and He carries on the activ-
ities of the world, making all beings, through the power of His
Maya, dance to His Tune).

How can man conquer this Maya? On both sides of the
Lord there is Maya. You would have seen this in most temples
of the Lord: in the centre is the Lord, on both His sides there is
Mother—variously styled as Rukmini and Satyabhama, Valli
and Devasena, etc. Look at Him! Does He not tell you: “Rivet
your eyes upon me who am in the Middle; on both My sides
there is Maya!" Therefore, He says: “This Divine Power of
Mine, Maya, is hard to transcend; only those who resolutely
stick to My Feet can do so.” Look, neither to the left nor to the

28 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

right, but look up into His Radiant Face; you will attain Moksha,
here and now.

Prakasham cha Pravrittim cha Mohameva cha Pandava

Na Dveshthi Sampravrittani Na Nivrittani Kankshati.

This Sloka beautifully sums up the philosophy of the Mid-
dle Path. The sage standing on the firm rock of Self-knowledge
calmly lets the three currents of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas flow
by, without courting one or running away from the other, know-
ing that they belong to a realm where he might appear to be,
but to which in truth he does not belong. He knows that in the
All-pervading Light of Satchidananda (that alone IS), the Jivais
a spark that flits about, changing apparent shapes, changing
places and changing directions—now moving upward, now go-
ing forward and now diving downwards—but all the time in that
Light of which it is an integral part and with which it soon be-
comes one.

This understanding cautions you to avoid the twin-error of
depending entirely upon self-effort or upon Divine Grace. The
universe is maintained by Divine Grace—just as the Spark
which is but part of the Flame flits about only within the Flame
controlled by its currents—but the individual's self-effort is
an integral part of the Divine Grace. Even in this extremely
vital factor in Sadhana, one should avoid the extremes.
Therefore, the Lord declares: “one is one's own enemy;
and one is one's own greatest benefactor. You will have to
raise yourself by your own self.” And at another place he
saysi "| give him Buddhi-Yoga, by which he attains to Me;"
and “Renounce all Dharmas and surrender to Me; | will lib-
erate you.” The insistence on self-effort is to prevent the
Sadhaka from insincere and fruitless surrender; and the
call to surrender is to curb his conceit. Wisdom lies in ad-
hering to the Middle Path of intelligent self-effort based on
a thorough understanding of the truth that itis His Power
and Grace that works and the Sadhaka is only an instru-
ment—Nimitta.

The secret of this Nimitta-Bhavana is non-attachment. Itis
on account of this that the Gita-Yoga is often termed as
Anasakti-Yoga. Repeatedly the Lord asks you to work without

GITA-ETHICS; THE SUBTLE MIDDLE-PATH 29

attachment to the work itself (which results from identifying
yourself with the doer of the act) or to the fruits (which result in
your taking a birth again in order to enjoy them). This Anasakti
is not an inter dissociation with the affairs of the world; nor is it
the life of a living and breathing corpse. It is dynamic detach-
ment! Itis to bring out this truth that the Lord explains that in ex-
ternal appearance the actions of a Jnani and those of a
Samsari might seem to be the same; but the Samsari performs
the actions bound to them by the bonds of attachment, whilst
the Jnani does his work completely detached. The underlying
secret is this: attachment and detachment belong to the plane
of intelligence and are not to be mistaken for gross external be-
haviour.

The plane of gross physical activity is the plane of matter;
and all matter is governed by material laws. That is why the Lord
declares: Sadrisham Cheshtate Svasyaah — Prakriter-
Jnanavanapi; Prakritim Yanti Bhutani Nigrahah Kim Karishyati.
Only the ignorant people will argue why the sage eats,
breathes or sleeps, and why his body is subject to diseases
and old age. Should a sage walk on his head? Should he eat
stones and mud in order to convince you that he is a sage?
Then, what is the difference between a mesmerist, a charlatan
and Sage of Self-realisation? No, The sage’s body belongs to
Nature and is composed of the elements. The most important
difference between you and a sage is this you are attached to
your body; the sage is not—he treats it as his instrument in or-
der to fulfil the Lord's Will here and, as he understands that the
instrument is subject to the Laws of Nature, he is not troubled
by the different conditions it passes through, Here, again, is a
doctrine which the evil-minded man might use to cover his
sense-hankering. Therefore, the Lord, while describing the
state of the Sthitha-Prajna, asserts that his senses are com-
pletely restrained. There is great truth hidden here. Senses
must be controlled completely; but use your intelligence and
commonsense in this respect. Do not jump to the extreme of
trying to go against Nature. Do not think that “control of the
tongue" means starvation, and “control over sleep" is complete
sleeplessness. Do not think you can conquer heat and cold by

30 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

standing on burning sand at midday in summer, and in ice-cold
water at midnight in winter. These misguided practices are char-
acterised by the Lord as actions that torture “Him Who dwells in
the body." What is needed is an intelligent understanding of your
nature, body, your mind and craving that lurk in it. By intelligent
methods of self-denial you should strive to acquire control over
your mind and thus to wipe out the desires and cravings in the
mind, Sense-control is an inward process; and, though physical
abstinence from sense-objects helps, it is restraint of the inner
senses that is important. This is possible; for itis above and be-
yond the realm of matter and with the help of a pure Buddhi
through which the Light of the Self shines, one can easily re-
strain the senses. (Ch. Ill. 42-43). But all the time the aspirant
should tread the subtle middle-path which is neither forced re-
straint nor indulgence.

In all this endeavour the aspirant is sustained by hope and
goaded by the "rarity of achievement.” The Lord gives you the
Staff of Hope when he declares: “Even a little of the practice of
this Dharma saves you from great fear. No effort goes in vain."
"Never does the man who does good come to grief." If not in
this, in your next birth, you will attain Moksha! “Even if the
wicked among men rightly resolves, he is truly to be considered
a Sadhu; he will soon attain Me.” Hopes, hopes and hopes the
Lord showers on you with all His Hands. But He will not let you
yield to complacency! He will not let you slip into inertia. Thatis
why He says: “One ina million strives to reach Me; and among
those who $0 strive, one in a million realises Me.” “After several
births of perfect living, one realises Everything is God; and he is
arare being.” Thus, here, too, He would not allow you to suc-
cumb to complacency or to despondency; hopeful, yet realising
the magnitude of the task, He commands you to march boldly
forward and reach the goal here and now!

Thus in your basic philosophic concept, in your under-
standing of nature, in your Sadhana, in your dealings with the
external world—in everything—the Lord exhorts you to tread
the subtle middle path that leads straight to God. May you all at-
tain God-realisation here and now!

Chapter Three

MAN AND GOD

Find out what a man's conception of God is and what, ac-
cording to him is his relation to that God: you will understand his
nature, his character and characteristics. If money be his God,
greed will be his nature and grabbing his characteristic. If
Power be his God, egoistic will be his nature and arrogance his
characteristic. If pleasure be his God, lust will be his nature and
sensuousness his characteristic. They will have much in com-
mon, too. Truth will be conspicuous by its absence, and anger
by its presence. Compassion has not come into their heart
which is filled only with passion.

On the other hand, they who worship and adore the Su-
preme Truth as their God, will be the abode of virtues, the em-
bodiments of Truth, Love and Purity, the exemplars of
Compassion, the living images of Peace, Humility, Unity and
Divinity.

There is only One Supreme Power in this Universe, Who
listens to man's prayers and grants the fruits of his actions.
That Power is not only impartial but is of the nature of Supreme
Love for all beings. That Power is God. All the aspirations of
man reach Him. Ignorant, foolish man has no idea what he is
asking for. In the darkness of ignorance, he mistakes a cobra
for a neck-tie and wants to wear it; he mistakes a python for a
log of wood and goes forth to sit on it; he mistakes a whale for
anisland and longs to spend the night sitting on it and gazing at
the moon. God helps them in mysterious ways, even if it need
be by granting them some of the objects they long for, so that
soon they understand the real nature of all the objects of the
world. The millionaire realises that happiness is decreased
when wealth increases. The powerful monarch is in his heart of
hearts ready to exchange his crown for a millionth of the peace
that a Sannyasin enjoys. The sensuous man discovers that
what he longed for were not objects of enjoyment, but messen-

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32 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

gers of death, disease and old age. Then they too, return to the
path of Divine Life and realise that it was He the Supreme Be-
ing Who granted them their desires (Gita: VII-22) and that if in-
stead of running after these perishable objects he devoted
himself to the constant remembrance of the Lord. He the Cre-
ator, Preserver and Destroyer of everything will create peace
and happiness in him, preserve him, preserve his joy and con-
tentment, and destroy his grief and sorrow.

The moment man turns his gaze within and understands
God as He is in Truth, as the One Self that pervades every-
thing, as One Common Link in all beings (Mayaa Tatamidam
Sarvam), at that very moment he will become the embodiment
of all the divine virtues that have been stressed again and
again in the Gita.

Isvarah Sarvabhutanam Hriddeserjuna Tishthati,

Bhramayan Sarvabhutani Yantrarudhani Mayayaa.

God dwells in your heart. He dwells in the hearts of all be-
ings. Think of it for a moment. How would you behave if you
realised this? You would at once understand that itis useless to
deceive yourself or others. You would know that this Supreme
Lie-Detector lying hidden in your own heart knows even your
thoughts! He knows the falsehood before it is uttered. He has
recorded the evil action before it proceeds through your limbs.
He is very much unlike the Judges and Magistrates of this
world. If He adopts their Codes, then there would be no end to
the punishments that He could award on you, for the countless
evil thoughts that arise in you and of which He and He alone is
the most reliable witness. But God is all-love and forgiveness.
Even if at times, He seems to punish a Jiva, it is only for the lat-
ters ultimate everlasting good. “I take away the wealth and
worldly prosperity of the man | wish to bless and lead to My Lo-
tus-feet,” said Lord Krishna.

Thus, a strict control of thoughts become the nature of the
man who conceives of God as the All-Pervading Self. As
speech and actions are but the handmaids of thought, in the
case of such a great soul, the speech would be truthful, pleas-
ant and beneficial; and actions pure, holy and divine. Such a

MAN AND GOD 33

man would effortlessly be practising the three kinds of austeri-
ties that the Lord has prescribed in the Gita:
Deva-Dvija-Guru-Prajna-Pujanam Saucham-Arjavam,
Brahmacharyam-Ahimsa cha Saareeram Tapa Uchyate.
“Worship of the Gods, the twice-born, the teachers and
the wise, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy and non-injury
are called the austerity of the body.”
Anudvegakaram Vakyam Satyam Priyahitam cha yat,
Svadhyayabhyasanam chaiva Vaangmayam Tapa Uchyate.
“Speech which causes no excitement, truthful, pleasant
and beneficial, the practice of the study of the scriptures are
called the austerity of speech.”
Manah Prasadah Saumyatvam Mounam Atma-vinigrahah,
Bhavasamshuddhirityetat Tapo Manasam Uchyate.
“Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, silence, self-con-
trol, purity of Bhava (attitude, motive} this is called the mental
austerity.”
This man is Gad-on-earth, fit to be worshipped. He is a liv-
ing exemplar of the ethics of the Bhagavad Gita. His opposite
we shall consider next.

Chapter Four

THE GODLESS MAN

The man who sees God in all beings is God-man; the man
who denies the very existence of God is a Godless man! It is
very difficult often to recognise the God-man because by na-
ture he is extremely humble, simple and unostentatious. Nor is
it always easy to detect, the Godless man for he will masquer-
ade in many garbs. That is why the Lord has extensively
quoted the very words that these people would often use in
their conversations. Watch for these expressions of the diaboli-
cal nature. Whatever the man appears to be, if these
expressions come out of him, he is a Godless man, shun him,
for his company is more fatal than the poison of a cobra.

") have gained this today,” he would say, “/ shall fulfil my
other desire also.” What a deluded idea he has of the Power
behind his senses, mind and the limbs! Yet, God is all-merciful
and allows him to feel that he is powerful enough to fulfil his de-
sites. “All this wealth is mine,” he says, “I shall get more in fu-
ture.” It is not as though God, the Dispenser of the fruits of
previous actions, has granted him material prosperity; he feels
that he has acquired the wealth by his own striving! And, of
course, he can acquire more by exerting a little more. “That en-
emy of mine has been slain by me; others, too, | shall destroy."
Such ideas will not rise in the mind of even an ordinary
Sadhaka. Now comes the crowning feature. The diabolical,
Godless man says: “/ am the Lord (Isvara); | am the real
enjoyer; | am perfect, powerful and happy." It is well to mark
these expressions and meditate over them. Is it not true that
the individual soul is in fact the Lord of the Universe, perfect,
powerful and blissful? Yes. Then, why does the Lord include
these expressions, too, in the devil's dictionary? There is great
reason for it. The Sage might realise that he is one with the
Lord, that he is perfect, omnipotent and blissful. But he will not
advertise it. Because he will see that self-same Atman in all, he

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THE GODLESS MAN 35

will not find in the world anything to which he is superior, any-
thing less perfect, powerful and blissful, than himself. There-
fore, he will not boast; he will be the very embodiment of natural
humility. He who boasts has no justification to do so. Even
though he might pose to be a Godless man, Asuric in nature. Of
course this expression of the Lord also includes Asuras like
Hiranyakasipu and men of Asuric nature. Equally interesting
are the next few sentences quoted by the Lord. "/ am rich and
am born in a good family. Who is equal to me? | will perform
sacrifices. | will give in charity. And, | will rejoice." This is petty
egoism and Tamasic Yajna and Daana. No one but the Asuric
element in man is benefited by these.

How compassionate is the Lord that he has given us in the
clearest terms the very expression that the Asuric individual
would use. Find out if you use them, You may even say that you
are a staunch theist and devotee of the Lord. Butif, at the same
time, these expressions escape your lips, your devotion is hyp-
ocritical and useless. You may pose to be a great Yogi or saint;
but if you share the feelings of the Asuric person which the Lord
has described in Chapter XVI 13-15 which | have quoted
above, you are cheating yourself and cheating the world.

The worst part of it is that even these Asuric people have
their own philosophy. For this purpose we can divide them into
two categories: the rank atheist and the pseudo-theist. The
rank atheist says: “What is the need for believing in an invisible
and non-material God? The universe was not created by God,
but itis the product of the conglomeration of atoms. There is no
God.” The pseudo-theist, on the other hand says: “| am Isvara;
all-powerful, perfect and blissful,” There is not much difference
between the two. They appeal to two sections of mankind. The
former appeals to the worldly worm of a human being who rev-
els in the filth of sensual pleasures. The latter gathers around
himself the deluded hypocrites who pose to be Sadhakas; they,
too, love a life of ease and comfort, with a little name, fame and
Perhaps psychic powers, too. The words and actions of the
people belonging to both these categories will be identical: for,
whereas the atheist feels that there is no God and, therefore,

36 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

he is all-powerful, the pseudo-theist feels that he himself is God
and is, therefore, all-powerful, etc.

Once faith in a transcendental Power, God, the Witness of
all hearts, the Great Indwelling Presence, is lost, how will man
behave? What he does and does not do depends upon his
fancy and not upon any code of righteous conduct (Dharma).
Purity, truthfulness and such other divine qualities will be ab-
sent in him. Selfishness vibrating in every cell of his being, he
will be a man of terrible deeds; he would do anything to fulfil his
desires. He cares not for his neighbour's good, but only for his
own advantage under any circumstances. His resolves would
be impure. He will have no end of desires. He will be full of hy-
pocrisy, pride and arrogance. Living to eat, and eating to lust,
he has no higher ambition than the satisfaction of his carnal de-
sires which multiply with fulfilment.

The very atmosphere around such a man is hell. Some-
times even he is seen to perform pious acts like Yajna, charity,
etc. The supreme Yajna is Jnana-Yajna, the gift of the highest
kind of knowledge of the Self. The Yajna that the selfish, Asuric
man performs is the worst kind of Yajna—the Lord gives a very
apt and amusing name for it “Nama-Yajna’, the act performed
with the sole object of earning name and fame.

In order to teach them a lesson, the Lord gives such
Asuric people, birth in the lower order of creation. The force of
Asuric Vasanas drags them lower and lower still, till they reach
the lowest rung in the ladder of evolution, from there to start
their journey once more.

Oh man, beware, beware, beware. Watch every one of
your thoughts, words and deeds. Analyse and find out for your-
self if what you think, say, feel and do, comes within the defini-
tion of Asuric nature given by the Lord. If it does, at once mend
yourself. You will soon become divine and reach the Lord here
and now.

Chapter Five
GOD IN MAN

Yad-Yad-Vibhutimat-Sattvam Srimad-Urjitameva Vaa,
Tat-Tadeva-Avagacha Tvam Mama Tejomsa-sambhavam.

The greatest achievement that is aimed at by the ethics of
the Bhagavad Gita is to be established in God-consciousness, to
realise that the Self that dwells in man is God, and to partake of
His Divine Life, Light, Bliss and Consciousness.

What are the characteristics of the person who has
achieved this aim? Knowing them, you will be able to draw
closer to the ideal.

That into which the Lord's Light descends becomes a glo-
tious manifestation of His Divinity, prosperous and full of Sri,
powerful and certain.

A closer study of the great Vibhuti-Yoga-Adhyaya of the
Gita clarifies this still further. What are the Vibhutis of the Lord
that we ought to take cognisance of in this connection?
“Buddhi, Jnana, absence of Moha, forgiveness, truthfulness,
self-restraint, calmness, happiness, (and pain), existence and
non-existence, fear and fearlessness, Ahimsa, equanimity,
contentment, austerity, beneficence, fame and ill-fame—are all
qualities that spring from Me,” says the Lord. A few of the pairs
of opposites are included here to emphasise that the saintly
person would preserve the evenness of his mind in the midst of
all these. All these qualities are the Vibhutis of the Lord and
would be found in the God-man. These are the qualities that
the Lord extols again and again in the Bhagavad Gita. From dif-
ferent standpoints, in accordance with the path that the
Sadhaka had chosen, the God-man—the Sadhaka who has
obtained Divine Grace and into whom the Divine Light had de-
scended—is called a Sthitaprajna, Gunatita, Para Bhakta, Yogi
etc. But the characteristics of all these are the same; and the
Lord untiringly repeats the divine qualities that characterise
them all. For, the qualities are but His Vibhutis.

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38 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

“Sri" is not only prosperity, not only wealth and abundance
in the way the man-in-the-street takes it to mean; it means all
the Daivi Sampat that the Lord mentions in the Sixteenth Chap-
ter of the Gita. These are so very important that they would
bear any amount of repetition; engrave those qualities on the
tablet of your heart, meditate on them, cultivate them zealously
and practise them till you become perfect in them. What are
they? “Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowl-
edge and Yoga, alms-giving, control of the senses, sacrifice,
study of the Sastras, austerity and straightforwardness, Ahim-
sa, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness,
absence of crookedness, compassion to beings, non-covet-
ousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness, vigour,
forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of
pride—these belong to the one born for a divine state.”

All these qualities should be rooted in firm conviction, un-
shakable faith, doubtless certainty. That is what is hinted in the
word “Urjitam.”

That then, is the nature of the God-in-man. Man is nothing
but the Spark of the Divine Fire of Godhead. True. But just as
the fire is covered by smoke even so this Knowledge is (or ap-
pears to be) covered by the wind of the Ethics of the Bhagavad
Gita, the Spark of Divinity shines as the blazing Fire of
Self-realisation.

Chapter Six
GATEWAY TO GRIEF

The Lord does not mince words. In clear-cut and categori-
cal terms, He says: “Do this" and “Do not do this.” He has no
need for logic and arguments; He is the Truth Himself. He
seeks not your praise and applause: He does not even bother
to convince you and compel you to obey Him. At the end of the
Gita, He says to Arjuna: “| have told you the bases of Truth;
think over and do what you will." You are His Child. He does not
want that you should be a slave to anyone. He wants you to ex-
ercise your birthright, freedom or independence. He guides
you; He points out the way. He declares in unequivocal terms:
“This is what you should do.” One cannot argue on
fundamentals; no one can completely convince another by
argument. Logic leaves you at a stage; beyond thatis the realm
of the Divine. There the intellect has no admission; only the
heart, faith, can enter. If you have faith in the Divine Admoni-
tions of the Lord you will enjoy the glorious reward of Eternal
Bliss and Perennial Peace. If you have no faith (and this hap-
pens only in the case of Asuric beings who deny the very exis-
tence of God), then endless suffering, misery and grief will in
due course disillusion you and awaken you to the truth. If faith
is the key to the mansion of Peace and Bliss, faithlessness or
disbelief is also a key, but it can open only the gateway to grief.

In order to enable you to carefully avoid this path of the
wicked, the Lord gives absolutely clear indications of the nature
of this path. The gateway to this path is made up of the brick of
anger and mortar of greed and is plastered with the cement of
desire. In attractive colours and alluring form a sign post stands
at this gate to say that it is the gateway to hell; but the man en-
tering it post-haste is charmed by the glittering colours of the
sign-post and has no time to study what is written on it.

As he enters the gate, he looks forward and he notices
that the road is paved with nothing but ‘I’ ‘I’ ‘I’. The fruitless

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40 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

trees on both sides shoot up into the sky, each one, one long ‘I’,
never bending, never bearing any fruits. He looks back and
sees that the road that led to him was also paved with this ‘I’
alone. With great delight, he discovers that the staff he holds in
his hand is also another ‘I’. "| am marching: and | will march for-
ward"—this thought arises in him; and he has not the faintest
idea of a power superior to himself.

As he walks along, he meets several others walking the
same path. There are some broad characteristics in all of them.
They are confirmed liars. They are unclean in their body, mind
and heart; and they defile their surroundings and pollute the
very atmosphere in which they live. They, too, hold philosophic
discussions: but they always come to the definite conclusion
that there is no God, no rebirth, no soul, and therefore no need
to lead a life of truth, purity, love and austerity; they proclaim:
“Eat, drink and be merry.” They preach the gospel of hatred;
they practise their own tenet of violence and destruction, not
quite realising that thereby they destroy themselves. Their
overweening pride gives birth to vanity, arrogance, hot-headed
insolence, and a host of other vices. In their heart is insatiable
desire enthroned. In one of their eyes resides Just; and in the
other anger.

The traveller on this path acquires whatever vices he
lacked, through association with fellow travellers. His heart is
filled with ideas like: “| have got this now” “| will get the other
thing also” “I have disposed of this enemy of mine” “I will kill the
others also.” As he goes along, he feels “| am the Lord of every-
thing” “I am perfect” “| am very strong and powerful’ “Who is
equal to me?" The cloud of egoism surrounds them on all sides;
they are blinded by delusion. They fall into the bottomless pit of
hell.

Saints and God-men, full of love and compassion for all
beings, intervene and try to save these people also from their
own evil. But the wicked man's egoism prevents him from
grasping the Saving Hand. His lust and anger drag him away
from his saviour. And, what is more, as he is by nature vicious,
he hates the saints, he hates the Bhaktas of the Lord, and he
abhors the very idea of God; in short, he refuses to be saved

GATEWAY TO GRIEF 41

from the doom that he has invited by his continuous
misconduct.

Such is the nature of the vicious man. Therefore, beware!
Do not enter the gateway to grief. Avoid it from a very distance.
Do not even go near to examine it: for such is the power of
Maya; such is the power of delusion, that you might lose your-
self in admiring the false glitter, nibble at the bait and perish.

How compassionate is the Lord! He has beautifully por-
trayed the wicked man’s actions, his attitude to life, his philoso-
phy and the very words that would come out of his lips: who can
explain it more clearly? He has done so because it is of the ut-
most importance that one who would like to enjoy Eternal Bliss
and Perennial Peace should scrupulously avoid these vicious
qualities.

Mere avoidance of evil will not take you very far. Moreover,
the easiest way of overcoming evil—which has only a negative
force—is to cultivate its opposite virtue, To help you grow in vir-
tue and divinity, the Lord has throughout the Bhagavad Gita
enumerated the various divine qualities you should cultivate.
We shall deal with them in subsequent instalments.

Chapter Seven

THE NEW TESTAMENT OF RENUNCIATION

In the Bhagavad Gita it is that we find the most beautiful
synthesis of man’s duty towards himself and towards human-
ity—a synthesis of renunciation, and Yoga of service. For at-
taining Self-Knowledge, it was universally acknowledged that
one should “renounce” the world; for serving humanity, on the
other hand, one should not only be in the world but take an ac-
tive part in its affairs. But, how to practise all these together?

Luckily for us, Arjuna pointedly asks for clarification of this
very doubt:

Sannyasam Karmanam Krishna Punar Yogam cha Samsasi,

Yat Sreya Etayorekam Tan-me Bruhi Sunischitam.

“Renunciation of actions, O Krishna, thou praisest; and
again Yoga. Tell me conclusively that which is the better of the
two.”

Lord Krishna quickly dismisses the very idea of
Karma-Sannyasa—mere renunciation of action, For, He has
already declared that “no being here can ever remain inactive
even for a second in this world" and “even the maintenance of
the body is not possible without the performance of some ac-
tion or other.” He had condemned as hypocrisy the inaction of
the lustful who sit dreaming of the objects of enjoyment while,
on the false pretence of renunciation, they physically refrain
from contact with those objects. Lord Sri Krishna further de-
clares that renunciation born of a fear of pain or of the difficul-
ties with which one is faced, is no renunciation at all. Yajna, or
self-sacrificing service, Daana or charity and Tapas or austerity
should not be renounced. Sahajam Karma—one’s natural
duty—should not be renounced. Then what is renunciation?
Who is a Sannyasi?

“He should be known as a perpetual Sannyasi who neither
hates nor desires; for, free from the pairs of opposites, he is
easily set free from bondage." says the Lord. Desire is to be re-

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THE NEW TESTAMENT OF RENUNCIATION 43

nounced; hatred is to be ruthlessly abandoned. In other words,
Raga-Dvesha is to be renounced.

This renunciation is not possible for one who is not a true
Yogi. He should have realised the Inner Self thatis distinct from
the five sheaths—Annamaya (physical, gross body),
Pranamaya (vital sheath), Manomaya (mind), Vijnanamaya (in-
tellect) and Anandamaya (causal body). Realising this he will
want nothing; he will desire for no object of enjoyment. Aknowl-
edge of this Self is that obtaining which the man seeks for noth-
ing else and established in which he is unshaken by the
greatest calamity. And, he should have realised that the same
Self dwells in all beings. Then will hatred take permanent leave
of him. Whom will he hate or be afraid of when the whole uni-
verse is pervaded by his own Self? Therefore it is that the Lord
emphatically declares that Yoga and Sannyasa are identical.

The secret of this renunciation Lord Sri Krishna has set
beautifully forth in the two Slokas:

Naiva kinchit karomeeti Yukto Manyeta Tatvavit,

Pasyan-srinvan-sprisan-jighran-asnan-gachchan-

SVapan-svasan.

Pralapan-visrijan-grihnan-unmishan-nimishannapi,

Indriyaneendriyartheshuvartanta iti dhaarayan.

“| do nothing at all” thus would the harmonised knower of
truth think; seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going,
sleeping, breathing, speaking, letting go, seizing, opening and
closing the eyes—convinced that the senses move among the
sense-objects. This is true renunciation. The Yogi-Sannyasi
does not delight in the enjoyment of sense-objects:

Ye hi Samsparsajaa Bhogah Duhkha-yonaya Eva Te,

Adyantavantah Kaunteya Na Teshu Ramate Budha.

“The enjoyments that are born of contacts are only
generators of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O
son of Kunti, and the wise do not rejoice in them.”

From this it follows that the Yogi-Sannyasi will be
Vivikta-sevi Laghvashi Yata-vakkayamanasah — Dhy-
ana-Yoga-paro Nityam Vairagyam Samupasritah—fond of
solitude, eating a little food just to keep body and soul together;

44 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

with his thought, speech and action well under his control, de-
voted to the Yoga of meditation and endowed with burning
dispassion.

The Sannyasi will not be fond of the company of people.
He will neither eat much nor fast much; neither sleep much nor
keep much awake. He will seek the Golden Mean in all things.
He will neither indulge the senses nor practise Asuric austeri-
ties, torturing the body and the Indweller, God.

Even the kind of Tapas that he incessantly practises, pro-
claims this New Testament of Renunciation—absence of love
and hatred. He practises a comprehensive Tapas in which in-
telligent control of his thought, word and deed is the main fea-
ture, The “bodily Tapas” consists in the worship of God,
Brahmanas, the spiritual preceptor and the learned; in cleanli-
ness; straightforwardness in all actions; the practice of celibacy
and harmlessness. The Tapas of speech comprises of: the
speaking of words that do not excite anyone, truthful, loving
and beneficial, the study of scriptures and recitation of
Mantras. The mental Tapas denotes: cheerfulness of mind,
goodness, practice of silence, inner self-control and purity of
motives.

Again and again, Lord Sri Krishna emphasises that the
Yogi is one of even-mind, not given to emotional turmoil, who
has risen beyond the pairs of opposites and is, therefore, not
affected by them. He will behave with uniform courtesy and
love towards his friends and enemies—and will not entertain
any thought of hatred towards anyone. He will treat a lump of
clay and a nugget of gold with equal indifference—thus eradi-
cating desire from the heart. Then is he a Yogi or a Sannyasi.
This even-mindedness is based upon the realisation of the
all-pervading Presence of the Self: he will perceive all beings in
the Self and the Self in all beings. Realising this he will con-
stantly serve all beings and will be devoted to the welfare of all
beings—Sarvabhuta-Hite-Rataah.

Chapter Eight

GURU AND DISCIPLE

The Bhagavad Gita itself exemplifies the relationship of a
true Guru and Ideal Disciple. Besides telling Arjuna that the
spiritual preceptor is Tattva-Darshi, the Seer of Truth, who will
impart the Knowledge of the Reality to a disciple who ap-
proaches him in the right spirit, Lord Krishna says very little
about the role of the Guru. The reason is obvious. There He
stood in the chariot as the exemplar of the perfect Guru. His ac-
tions were scriptures.

Did not Lord Sri Krishna know that Arjuna would behave
as he did and that He would have to teach him the Gita Sastra?
Yes: The Lord was omniscient. What was the role He took upon
Himself? The role of Arjuna’s charioteer. That is the first and
foremost lesson for a Guru. He should regard himself as the
disciple's servant! He should win the disciple’s confidence and
capture his heart. He should become the best friend of the dis-
ciple, and await the best chance to impart the supreme wisdom
to the disciple.

Lord Krishna did this; and in days of yore, sage Jada
Bharata also adopted this method.

When the time comes to teach the disciple, the Preceptor
should proceed carefully to enlighten him without ever violently
unsettling his beliefs. The Guru must come down to the level of
disciple and lead him from there. How many wonderful psycho-
logical methods the Lord uses to persuade Arjuna to stand up
and fight! At one moment He speaks high philosophy, and the
very next moment, He dwells upon Arjuna's worldly prosperity
and attainment of heaven! Again and again, He hammers the
central theme: “Yudhyasva” “Fight”! Using various arguments,
He actually persuades Arjuna to fight. This is the way to win the
confidence of the disciple; this is the way to honour the self-re-
spect of the disciple and enable him to have self-confidence.
Krishna could well have just commanded Arjuna to get up and

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46 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

fight, without arguing with him at all, But, no: the true preceptor
would not do so. He would never enslave the disciple. He
would inspire the latter to think for himself, to understand his
duty aright and then....

“Do as you like” says the Lord at the conclusion of the
Gita-discourse. Remember, the disciple's individuality is not to
be crushed but his inner personality is to be awakened and vivi-
fied.

Patience and forbearance, love and consideration, mark the
ideal Guru. Let us now turn to the Gita-ideal of a disciple.

So long as a person feels that he is superior in intelligence
to the sage whom he approaches, he is not a disciple! Itis when
the seeker has analysed himself and discovered that he by
himself, could not decide what is right and what is wrong, that
he falls at the feet of the Master, to throw light on his (disciple's)
path. It is then that he is fit to be taught. Till then the preceptor
will have to wait.

The disciple, what does he ask of the preceptor? Not the
way to win a war, nor to attain worldly prosperity or name and
fame. “Yat-Sreyassyannischitam-Bruhi Tan-me": again and
again Arjuna asks Lord to show him the path of Sreyas. Sreyas
and not Preyas is prayed for. The disciple asks the Master to
show him the Path of Good not the path of pleasant. This is the
foremost qualification of a seeker-disciple.

Then, the Lord has beautifully described the three-fold
function of the disciple in the famous Sloka:

Tad-Viddhi Pranipatena Pariprasnena Sevaya,

Upadekshyanti Te Jnanam Jnaninah Tattvadarshinah.

Prostration (symbolising self-surrender), eager and hum-
ble questioning and service—these are the three qualifications
of a disciple that would draw the Guru's Grace which will dispel
the darkness of ignorance from the heart of the seeker. If he is
in doubt, he must seek clarification from the Master: he is not to
decide the issue himself, lest he should like Virochana misun-
derstand the Master's teaching and run along the wrong way.
Arjuna questions the Lord again and again, whenever he is in
doubt: but never does he lose sight of his goal—he asks for

GURU AND DISCIPLE 47

Sreyas, Guru-Seva is of paramount importance for the purifica-
tion of the heart of the disciple, to enable the Light of
Self-Knowledge to descend into it.

Should he experience any difficulty in the process of
Sadhana taught by the Master, the disciple should not hesitate
to approach the Master and place his difficulties before him. A
wonderful example of this is given to us in the Gita when the
Lord describes the Dhyana Yoga. Arjuna feels that it would be
as difficult to subdue the mind as to restrain the wind: and un-
hesitatingly places his difficulty before the Lord, which elicits
from Him the supreme commandment that "The mind can be
controlled only by Abhyasa and Vairagya.” Incidentally, the
Gita-ideal of Guru will not pooh-pooh the disciple's difficulties,
but will sympathise with the disciple and suggest suitable ways
and means of overcoming them.

“Acharyopasanam"” is. the foremost duty of the disciple.
Service of the Preceptor, actual worship of the Guru, is the dis-
ciple's duty and privilege. Guru is the visible representative of
God. This itself is beautifully alluded to in the Bhagavad Gita
when the Lord at one place says: “Dadami Buddhi Yogam—|
give him the Yoga of the Intelligence" and at another
“Upadekshyanti Te Jnanam—They (the Knowers of Truth) will
impart the Knowledge of Truth to you." The Teacher should,
therefore, be literally worshipped as God-on-earth.

When all is said and done, if the disciple serves the Guru
and listens to his Upadesa, but does not act up to it, it would be
of little use to him. Like Arjuna, he must at once act upon the
Master's instructions: Karishye Vachanam Tava—| shall act up
to your instruction—this ought to be the disciple's attitude to the
Master.

Chapter Nine

THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT THINKING

It was elevated to one of the eightfold principal principles
by Lord Buddha. Krishna the Supreme Psychologist, recog-
nised and enunciated this principle in the Gita. Thought is the
mother of speech and deed. Mighty deeds strike awe in us. The
discerning know that speech precedes and has the roots of this
deed. It is only the wise who know that thought is at the very
bottom of all this.

Therefore, Lord Jesus emphasised that true sin was com-
mitted by the mind, and asked man to beware of the secret sin
committed in the inner chambers of one’s heart. Lord Krishna
calls him a hypocrite who, to all outward appearance is saintly
and self-controlled but is inwardly contemplating upon the ob-
jects of senses. The sincere aspirant has no use for such hy-
pocrisy. He will strive to let his thoughts be as pure and holy as
he strives to make his words and deeds appear.

The moment an object is thought of, the real contact is es-
tablished. The mischief is afoot now, The mind endowed natu-
rally with a tendency to flow out seeking to find happiness in the
objects, now finds the best opportunity—a channel to flow into.
The mind is saturated with the form of the object thought of and
desires for it.

This is very much like the contact of a spark of flame witha
hay-stack. The hay which was all good, food for beings, is at
once transformed into all-consuming fire. The hay-stack burns
and burns all that lies adjacent to it. Itrazes to the earth the very
house in which it is stored. Often the owner of the house him-
self is brought to ruin, if not actually killed.

Similar is the case with mind, the good friend of man. It is
the mind, unpolluted by desires, that serves to nourish his soul
with pure thoughts, sublime emotions and calm meditation.
When the spark of a thought of sense-object enters this mind, it
is at once aflame with desire for it. The fire spreads, giving rise

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THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT THINKING 49

to other minor and major fires. If the desire is thwarted, anger
arises. If the desire is fulfilled, fear (of losing the object, etc.)
arises. If someone else gets the object, jealousy manifests it-
self. Thus everything is aflame everywhere, within the mind of
man. The mind is clouded with the smoke of the aftermath of
this vile desire. Discrimination is lost. Clarity of vision is un-
known. The Buddhi which is, as it were, the very house of the
soul, affording it protection and shelter is destroyed. The man
comes to mortal ruin—perishes in the sense that the very pur-
pose of his existence upon earth is defeated.

Hence the supreme need for control of the mind, control of
thought Itself, ere it is allowed to assume gross form in word or
deed. When the mind is well controlled, it is possible to nourish
the soul with the nectar of divine contemplation; and thus, ulti-
mately, to become Immortal. May you become Immortal in this
very birth.

Chapter Ten

PURIFICATION OF SELF

An ethically disciplined, morally purified and spiritually illu-
mined soul is the goal of Gita-ethics. To attain this, the Lord ex-
horts the Man to spiritualise his entire personality. Of the three
qualities that combine to make the personality of Man, Sattva is
nearest Perfection, Rajas is necessary evil and Tamas is iner-
tia, lowest form of bestiality and waste of life itself. The aim of
the Gita-ethics is to eradicate Tamas in Man, and by wise con-
tral of the Rajasic element to make it Sattva's handmaid and to
add to the quantum of Sattva in all possible ways.

An entire chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is devoted to the
classification of the major factors of man's life into the three
qualities—Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Knowing this, man can
avoid the Tamasic, keep the Rajasic to the minimum and strive
in every way to grow more and more Sattvic.

Worship: Worship of gods is Sattvic. Worship of Asuric
beings is Rajasic. Adoration of ghosts and evil spirits is
Tamasic.

Food: Food which increases life, purity, strength, health,
joy and cheerfulness, which are savoury and oleaginous, sub-
stantial and agreeable, is Sattvic. Food which is bitter, sour, sa~
line, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning is Rajasic food
that causes pain, grief and diseases. Stale, tasteless, putrid
and rotten, refuse and impure is Tamasic food. Eat that food
which will develop Sattva in you. Milk, butter, fresh ripe fruits,
almonds, green dhal, barley, parwal, torai, plantain, brinjal, etc,
are Sattvic.

Yajna: Sacrifice offered by men, without desire for fruit, as
enjoined by the scriptures, with a firm faith that such sacrifice is
a duty, is Sattvic. The sacrifice offered, seeking for reward, and
for ostentation, is Rajasic. The sacrifice which is contrary to the
scriptures, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of
Mantras and gifts, and devoid of faith is Tamasic.

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PURIFICATION OF SELF 51

Austerities: The threefold austerity (of thought, word and
speech—mentioned elsewhere in this volume) practised by
steadfast men, with the utmost faith, desiring no reward, is
called Sattvic. Austerity practised with the object of gaining
honour and worship, by hypocrites, is Rajasic, and is bound to
be unstable and transitory. That austerity which is practised out
of a foolish notion, with self-torture, or for the purpose of de-
stroying another, is Tamasic.

Charity: The charity given to one who does nothing in re-
turn, knowing it to be one’s own duty to give in a proper place
and at the proper time to a worthy person is Sattvic, The gift
that is made with the expectation of a return or looking for some
kind of reward, or made reluctantly, is Rajasic. The gift which is
made at a wrong place and time, to unworthy persons, without
respecting the receiver or insulting is Tamasic.

Renunciation: When a duty is performed merely because
it ought to be done, without attachment and expectation of re-
ward—the Bhava is one of Sattvic Tyaga. Renunciation of ac-
tions from fear of bodily trouble—because the action is
painful—is Rajasic and does not bear the fruit of renunciation,
The abandonment of obligatory action (which is not proper) on
account of delusion is Tamasic renunciation.

Knowledge or Understanding: That by which one sees
the One Indestructible Reality in all beings, the one homoge-
neous among the multifarious objects, that knowledge or un-
derstanding is Sattvic. That knowledge which generates the
perception of various entities of distinct kinds as different from
one another, is Rajasic. But that understanding which perverts
the intellect and presents the unreal as the Real, the part as the
whole, is Tamasic.

Actions (in general): One's duty performed without
attachment, without love or hatred at heart and without desire
for any reward, is Sattvic action. But that action which is per-
formed by one longing for the fulfilment of desires, with egoism
or with much effort, is Rajasic. That action which is undertaken
from delusion, without regard for the consequences, loss or in-
jury, and without regard to one’s own abilities, is Tamasic.

52 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

The same division is made once again from the point of
view of the performer of the actions. An agent (Karta) or per-
former of an action, who is free from attachment, non-egoistic,
endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, and unaffected by
success or failure is Sattvic, Passionate, desiring to obtain the
fruit of actions, greedy, harmful, impure, moved by joy and sor-
row, is the Rajasic agent. Unsteady, vulgar, unbending, cheat-
ing, malicious, lazy, desponding and procrastinating, is the
Tamasic performer of actions.

Intelligence: The intellect which knows the paths of work
and renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought not to
be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, is
Sattvic. That by which one wrongly understands Dharma and
Adharma and also what ought to be done and what ought not to
be done, that intellect is Rajasic. That which enveloped in dark-
ness, sees Adharma as Dharma and all things perverted, is the
Tamasic intellect.

Steadfastness (devotion): The unwavering firmness by
which, through Yoga, the functions of the mind, the Prana, and
the senses are restrained, is Sattvic Dhriti. The firmness by
which, from attachment to fruits of actions, one holds fast to
Dharma, desire and wealth, is Rajasic. That by which a stupid
man does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despair and also
conceit is Tamasic firmness—it is foolish obstinacy.

Happiness: That which Is like poison at first but is in the
end like nectar, is Sattvic pleasure, born of the purity of one's
own mind, due to Self-realisation. The pleasure which arises
from the contact of the sense-organs with the object, at first like
nectar, and in the end like poison, is Rajasic. That “pleasure”
which is at first and in the end sequel delusive of the Self, aris-
ing from sleep, indolence and heedlessness is Tamasic.

One point is worth noting in this classification and that is
the repeated insistence of the Lord on non-attachment to
actions and their fruits, on desirelessness and on maintaining a
balanced state of mind.

The person who clearly understands this classification
ever strives to add to the Sattvic content of his personality,

PURIFICATION OF SELF 53

eradicating the Tamasic and sublimating the Rajasic. When
one is established in Sattva, the Light of Self-knowledge
dawns in him and he shines as a Jivanmukta, Sthitaprajna,
Bhagavata, or Yogi.

Chapter Eleven
THE GOSPEL OF FEARLESSNESS

One virtue alone is not perfection, as one limb is nota
man. Man is a composite of many parts; and Perfection is com-
posed of many excellences. Yet, if one virtue can be singled out
as having enjoyed the privilege of Krishna's greatest admira-
tion, itis “fearlessness,"—fearlessness in all its aspects, fear-
lessness that makes one a hero, in the words of the
Kathopanishad “who would dare to defy Nature with the power
of the Creator behind her, and to make the outgoing senses
turn inward and the externalised current of thought from inward
to discover its source and substratum"—in other words to take
the Ganga back to its very source.

“Grieve not" is the keynote of the Gita. Fearlessness is the
direct antidote to grief. When a fear is born or when a fear ma-
terialises, man is sunk in grief. Fearlessness, therefore cuts
grief at the very root.

Understood in its proper light, this fearlessness itselfis the
fountain of virtues; for more often man errs and sins, not be-
cause he is ignorant of virtue nor because he is unwilling to
practise virtue, but because he does not have the courage, the
heroism, that fearless daring to hold aloft the banner of virtue
even at the point of death; it is fear of something or other that
makes him creep underneath vice even though he knows that
he should not be there. With fearlessness, sincerity will get
strength and earnestness will be effective. The man from
whose heart fear has been expelled will be firm in his truth, un-
wavering in his devotion, unflinching in his resolves,
indefatigable in his service and Sadhana, for with fear has
been driven out the greatest obstacle to spiritual progress, viz.,
weakness.

Who can proclaim this Gospel of Fearlessness with
greater authority than the Lord Himself Who declares in un-
equivocal terms that He, the One, Infinite Omnipotent, Su-

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THE GOSPEL OF FEARLESSNESS 55

preme Lord of the entire universe is Himself the sole reality in
and of each and every being in this universe? Can there be fear
in Him? “Thou art That Supreme Being”; this is the ultimate
Truth and the Last Word of the Upanishads. If you realise this,
can fear arise in your heart even in dream? No.

Itis when you feel that you are puny little creature, whom
the whole Nature opposes, whose safety and security are
threatened by everyone else in the universe,—only when these
deluded notions are present in your ignorant mind, that your
knees shake and your heart sinks in fear; not when you medi-
tate upon the sublime Truth “Ahamatma Gudakesa
Sarvabhutasayasthitah’ (| am the Self that dwells in the hearts
of all beings); “/svarah Sarvabhutanam Hriddeserjuna
Tishthati; Bhramayan Sarvabhutani Yantrarudhani Mayaya,
(God is seated in the hearts of all beings, making all beings re-
volve on the wheel of his Maya); Mayaa Tatamidam Sarvam (l
am the thread that links all beings in the universe). God is the
Sole Reality. And He is all-pervading. The self-same God that
dwells in you dwells in all—from the highest divine being, the
Creator, to the tiniest creature here. There is no “other person"
in the universe to harm you; your own Self, God, dwells in all,
There is not a second entity in the universe whom you need
fear. Itis ignorance of this Unity that generates fear. Fearless-
ness, therefore, implies annihilation of this ignorance, and
realisation of the Truth of Unity or Oneness.

Inignorance you desire. Of ignorance is fear born. Fear is,
therefore, the twin-sister of desire. They are two sides of the
same coin; they are the two heads of the same reptile. Fear of
not attaining the desired object, fear of losing the object desired
and obtained, fear of getting the object whose absence is de-
sired—these are the basic fears. Desire is, therefore, termed
by Lord Krishna as the greatest enemy of man. This desire is
slain by an understanding of the Truth, by discrimination and
dispassion, by contentment and constant practice of Sadhana.
When this desire is slain, and when man attains the state of “Na
Prahrishyet Priyam Prapya, Nodvijet Prapya Chaapriyam” (not
getting elated when a desired thing is obtained, not shrinking
away when an undesirable thing is got).

56 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

This attitude of mind towards life, this state of
desirelessness is attained when man realises that itis some di-
vine power that is behind everything that takes place here and
gives up all egoistic notions. Then will he truly understand
Karmanyevaadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana. The Mas-
ter of this vast house we call the universe is God. His will is
done here. All beings here dance to His tunes. No one is your
enemy, no one is eager to harm you. All beings are your own
Self, whether you realise it or not; the same God who is the re-
ality of your being dwells in all.

The real enemy, on the other hand, is within you—the im-
pure mind, the desire-filled heart, the fountain of Raga-Dvesha
and the inveterate egoism. If fear you must, fear this diabolical
nature of your own self. If you must run away from something or
somebody, run away from this inner evil aspect of your own
self. When you conquer this inner enemy, you will find that you
have no external enemy to fear. When you vanish this inner en-
emy and run away from him, you will find that the growing feel-
ing of unity and oneness draws you closer to all beings on earth
and draws all beings closer to you. When fear dies, love is
born. Love is your essential nature. Love is the light of the sun
of unity and oneness. In fact, fear is not part of your essential
nature. It is no reality. Fear is the product of ignorance; fear of
the unknown. When this ignorance is removed by a correct un-
derstanding of the nature of the Universe and of God, you will
realise that fear had no basis at all—all fears are baseless.
With fearlessness thus regained, you will recover not only that
priceless pearl of Atma-Jnana, but the sweetest elixir of
life-love.

The greatest fear that haunts a man is fear of the Un-
known. What was Before that has brought about what is Now?
What will be Hereafter (or Beyond) and what relation has that
with what is Now? These questions constantly harass Man,
whether he is conscious of them or not. Lord Krishna deals a
deft stroke at the root of the problem—which is really attach-
ment to the present incarnation over the fate of which man is
constantly worried—by declaring: “The origin is hidden from
you; and the life beyond is veiled too, The present life thatis ap-

THE GOSPEL OF FEARLESSNESS 57

parently revealed to you is but a fleeting moment in Eternity;
why worry over it?” Better seize the moment and make the
most of it. Live while there is life; and live wisely and well, in ac-
cordance with the Gita-Dharma. Dedicate your life to the mo-
ment; and out of this union will spring Eternal life. For, your soul
is Immortal; and if you put your heart and soul into your life ev-
ery moment, your life, too, will share the characteristic of your
soul. Forget the past; worry not over the future. Do your duty
now, egolessly and selflessly. In the joy and satisfaction of the
performance of your duty in the right spirit, when the past and
the future vanish from your thought, the present becomes the
Eternal Now. At that moment you will realise: “The Self residing
in all beings is indestructible. It does not die with the body.” Life
belongs to you; not death, for you never die. The body is cast
off, even as worn-out clothes are cast off; but you don't die. Let,
therefore, life be your concern; not death. Infuse life into your
life. Let not the gloom of death mar the lustre of your life. Sink
not in despair; yield not to impotence; quake not with fear. Live.
Live. Live the divine life.

Now, this concept is a good ideal. Even the man who
wishes to drown himself swims back to the shore. Life loves to
live. In the death of the physical body, life departs from the body
in order to live in another! Life knows no death. Therefore it is
that man does not want to die. He does not even like diseases
which seriously interfere with life. He wants to lead a life full life.
But the physical body with which man is associated while alive
as an individual here, is somehow or other subject to diseases,
decay and death. What ever scientists may feel, the real root
cause of diseases is unknown. That is what made the primitive
man ascribed diseases to the wrath of the gods. Man dreads
diseases. The antidote to this fear is the realisation of their tran-
sitoriness. They belong to the negative forces of the universe,
which have no real existence. Life is eternal; not death. And life
implies the condition we know as health which is nothing but life
perfectly living. Diseases come and go; life or health endures.
Diseses are the inevitable concomitants of the body composed
of the five elements: therefore, cheerfully endure them
(Titikshasva), knowing full well their fleeting character. Similar

58 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

is the case with old age, too. Youth, manhood, old age, etc., are
but periods; and periods are rolling waves on the ocean of eter-
nity. Eternity is your essential nature; therefore, look with un-
concerned tranquillity at the transient waves of childhood,
youth, manhood and old age. Fear of change will vanish when
you are rooted in the Changeless Immortality of thy essential
nature.

The same argument of the transitory nature of mundane
objects, and the fleeting characteristic of life on earth, is
brought forth to counteract man's fear of losing his posses-
sions. The objects of this world are not only impermanent, but
they are the wombs of pain and misery. The wise man would
shun them. This dispassion is the most powerful antidote to the
fear of losing wealth or property. The fear of loss can be eradi-
cated totally by the acquisition of That “gaining which nothing
else would be considered worth aspiring for’; and that is a
knowledge of the Treasure of treasures, Atma-Jnana. The as-
pirant who would like to gain That would love to lose everything
else; and every loss would be for him a joyous gain! This
change in the angle of vision is the greatest antidote to fear.

Honour is a bait that has caught many a fish of man and
hooked him to transmigration. It is an illusion; but, withal, more
powerful than the illusion of grosser sense-pleasure even. To
get the coveted honour, man would often sacrifice sense-plea-
sure and what is worse descend to dishonourable depths. The
fear of losing this honour is a fountain of vices. To maintain it,
man would shrink from no crime! History abounds in examples
of Asuric men who would not hesitate to sacrifice millions of
lives in order to sustain their honour, their position as “Em-
peror!” Even some good people mistake Kirti for honour. They
feel that as Lord Sri Krishna has equated Akirti to a condition
worse than death, itis the primary duty of everyone to preserve
his honour. Kirti is not honour. Very often Kirti has been con-
structed out of the ashes of honour. Remember the stories of
Dharmaputra, Harischandra, Nala and so many others. What
an amount of dishonour they had to court and honour they had
to lose, before their Kirti could be established upon this earth!
This Kirti has no equivalent in the English language, though for

THE GOSPEL OF FEARLESSNESS 59

the lack of a better word it is translated into “fame”. Kirti is a
good thing; for it is the fragrance of righteousness that ema-
nates from great souls and attracts mankind to them; it is re-
splendent lustre that surrounds the divine among men and
inspires others to grow in virtue and get that lustre. Therefore, it
promotes virtue. Honour may or may not. People emulate the
examples of men of Kirti: Yad Yadacharati Sreshastattadeva
ltaro Janah. Therefore it is that Lord Sri Krishna extols Kirti
while He treats honour and dishonour with equal indifference.
Whatis significant, however, is that Kirtiis entirely subjective, it
is the fragrance of one’s illumined soul, so that it can never be
taken away from him unless he himself chooses to lose it by
“losing the soul". Therefore, whereas man may fear that he
may lose his honour through the actions of others, he possibly
cannot lose his Kirti in that manner. Therefore, there is no fear
of losing Kirti, as such. And losing Kirtiin the sense of losing the
fragrance of Dharma is unworthy.

Gita teaches man that who has no enemies outside him-
self. Therefore, to one who practises the Gita-Dharma, there is
no enemy in the world. He is not subject to fear or opponents.
The inner enemy is to be conquered; the external enemy is to
be loved as dearly as the dearest friend! Love of humanity
which is born of this attitude towards humanity, the
Virat-Svarupa of the Lord, enables to live intensely for the wel-
fare of mankind, giving to every moment his very soul which is
Eternal, thus ignoring fear which does not belong to him, en-
during diseases and old age which are passing shadows, re-
maining indifferent to loss of wealth and honour which are
illusory and unnecessary for his glorious mission in life loving
service of all humanity in the conviction—Vasudevah Sarvam
(all this is Lord Vasudeva Himself). Thus is utter fearlessness
gained and man’s heart is filled with cosmic love.

Chapter Twelve
COSMIC LOVE: THE KEY TO BLESSEDNESS

Fear engenders hatred; fearlessness is the harbinger of
love.

The Gita-ideal of love is based upon the truth: Ahamatma
Gudakesa Sarvabhutasayasthitah (| am the Self of all beings).
This Truth is the very foundation of the Gita Ethics; therefore,
the Lord untiringly repeats it in various words and in several
contexts, quite a number of times through the Bhagavad Gita.
Yo Mam Pasyati Sarvatra Sarvam cha Mayi Pasyati (He who
sees Me in all beings in Me); Sarvabhutasthitam Yo Mam
Bhajatyekatvamasthitah (He who worships Me, seated in all
beings, rooted in Unity); Mayi Sarvamidam Protam Sutre
Maniganaa lva (everything is strung in Me as beads are strung
on thread); Vasudevassarvamiti (all this is indeed Vasudeva,
God); Maya Tatamidam Sarvam (all this is connected together
by Me); Vishtabhyaham idam Kritsnam Ekamsena Sthito Jagat
(by a small part of Myself | pervade all these things) etc.

God is one, though appearing to be different in different
beings (Avibhaktam Vibhakteshu Vibhaktamiva cha Sthitam).
This Supreme One ever strives to realise its unity. This
will-to-unity it is that manifests at all levels of creation as gravi-
tation, magnetism, attraction; herding instinct, and love. Even
aversion presupposes attraction; it is when one is attracted to
something that one feels and aversion towards some other
thing. The fundamental element of love which is the nature of
God, the One-in-all, is there even in this attraction (Raga), butit
is tinged with delusion, with an imperfect understanding of the
nature of God, and, therefore, of this unifying force called Love.

God is One and, therefore, all-pervading, equally in all.
Love, too, should flow towards all beings in equal and abun-
dant measure. This love is not a mere deluded attraction to-
wards some objects, generating in its trail hatred or revulsion
from some other objects; but it is the manifesting of the Unity of

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COSMIC LOVE: THE KEY TO BLESSEDNESS 64

God, and of the unifying force of the omnipresent Power of
God.

Therefore, it is that the saints are said to be
Sarvabhutahiteratah (devoted to the welfare of all beings).
Their love is free from the dual currents of attraction and repul-
sion. Swimming in the ocean of all-pervading love, they know
not of an object they could hate or turn way from. They con-
demn none. They love all. This love is not deluded attachment;
for attachment breeds hatred also. Therefore, their love is not
showy affection. It is genuine, though subtle, subtler than the
force of gravitation. They radiate love; and therefore, it is said
that in their very presence “natural” foes lose their enmity.

This love partakes not only of the omnipresent nature of
God; but itis Omnipotent, too, The saint's is not love in words; it
is love in action—service, love in expression is service. The ab-
sence of desire and attachment makes that service selfless.

Chapter Thirteen
THE DYNAMICS OF SELFLESS SERVICE

Before proceeding to consider the bearing that the Ethics
of the Bhagavad Gita has upon the various aspects of human
conduct, it is important to emphasise that the cosmic love that
forms the fundamental basis of these ethics is not an ideal to be
fondly meditated upon, nor an idol to be bowed to from a dis-
tance, nor even an idler’s subject-for-gossip. Cosmic love is a
very, very hard taskmaster. No doubt it is elixir for the inner
spirit, a tonic for life itself and a fountain of eternal youthfulness
and dynamism; but it has often demanded and inflicted a heavy
toll on the physical, grosser and material part of man. Cosmic
love is the confluence of paradoxes. This is extremely impor-
tant to note and bear in mind always. It demands great sacri-
fices which are always made with the greatest delight. It
demands ruthless renunciation of worldly pleasures and com-
forts; and this renunciation is embraced with ecstatic bliss. It
demands the merciless severance of all woridly connections,
relationship and affections; even this is done with a cheerful
face and joyous spirit. Cosmic love only demands the annihila-
tion of what in truth is a limitation, a littleness, a bondage, a
painful condition (though in an unenlightened state, this might
appear to be pleasurable!), in order that you might enter the
Kingdom of Limitless Joy, Infinite Bliss, Ineffable Peace and Im-
mortal Life.

For the sake of Dharma Lord Rama renounced His Con-
sort. Cosmic love transformed Prince Siddhartha into a mendi-
cant, wandering along the streets of his erstwhile kingdom, with
a begging bowl. In order that mankind might awake from the
slumber of ignorance and walk the path of righteousness, Lord
Jesus sacrificed His Life itself on the Cross. Beware of paying
lip-sympathy to cosmic love!

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THE DYNAMICS OF SELFLESS SERVICE 63

Ask yourself: “How near have | approached the ideal of
Sarva-Bhuta-hite-ratah (devoted to the welfare of all beings)?"
That is the acid test of cosmic love. Not a moment of time is
yours; it is given to you for being utilised in the service of hu-
manity, Not a grain of food, nor a copper coin, nor a sublime
thought, nor even a spiritual experience, is given to you for your
private consumption: Cosmic love demands that you should
share all with all. The food that you give your own body, the
clothes with which you cover it, and the knowledge that you
pour into your mind, have justification only in the measure in
which your body is utilised in the service of humanity, and the
mind is made the instrument through which solace, peace,
happiness and enlightenment is brought to His children. Other-
wise: Bhunjate te-tvagham Papa Ye Pachanyatmakaranat: if
you cook food for your own consumption, you eat not food but
terrible sin! Here, food is used symbolically. It refers to every-
thing. Your wealth, your physical strength, your intellectual acu-
men and your’spiritual light are all for others, for all beings.

But this does not give you a licence to interfere in other
people's affairs, and in the name of cosmic love and selfless
service, disturb the peace and create disharmony in the world.
We have seen how sometimes big nations vie with each other
in “rendering help to backward nations" “civilising an uncivilised
country” “educating the illiterate masses" “raising the standard
of living of the poor’— these are all cloaks which often hide ne-
farious intentions. The motive behind is not cosmic love, but
masked selfishness and greed. Therefore, the Lord warns that
Svadharme Nidhanam Sreyah, Para-Dharmo Bhayavahah.
Our Puranas and stories of saints are replete with exemplars of
the performance of duty. Cosmic love only demands that you
should be beyond Raga (attraction towards particular persons
and things), Dvesha (dislike for some persons or things) and
Bhaya (fear). In the heart must be enshrined the light of the
Truth “Sarvam Brahmamayam" “lsavasyamidam Sarvam"
“Ahamatma Gudakesa Sarvabhutasaya sthitah" and this light
must be ever kept alive in the heart. All your actions should be
performed in this light. Then, the very performance of your own

64 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

duty, with the right spirit of selfless service of humanity, would
itself liberate you from Samsara Sve Sve Karmanyabhiratah
Samsiddhim Labhate Narah—‘Engaged in the performance of
his own duties, man attains to Perfection.”

The inner Bhava, or attitude, transforms work into wor-
ship. The heart is filled with cosmic love; and the inner spiritual
vision perceives the Lord present in all things and His Con-
sciousness pervading every thing that exists: it is easy to un-
derstand how this man would behave towards people and how
he would perform his daily duties. The bottle of medicine is
filled with God's Power; the patient standing before you is God
in human form; he accepts the doses of medicine you give him;
it is your worship of God. You won't throw away anything, you
won't behave rudely towards anyone; you won't treat anyone or
anything with contempt. For, you perceive that all things and all
beings are filled with His Glory, His Light, His Life and His Love.
That is cosmic love. Therefore, Svakarmana Tamabhyarchya
Siddhim Vindati Manavah—By Worshipping the Lord with the
flowers of his daily activities, man attains to Perfection.

May you all shine as Jivanmuktas, Jnanis, Yogins and
Bhaktas in this very birth.

Chapter Fourteen

MAN AND HUMANITY

The world is as real as you are, So long as you feel that
you exist as an individual, so long will you have to take notice of
the existence of the world. When Brahma-Jnana dawns in you
and you perceive the Self-resplendent Self within yourself; you
will realise that this Self is all-pervading, permeating every
atom of creation.

As an individual you are a unit in this world. As the Self,
you are one with the world, one with the entire universe. You
can never separate yourself from the world. On you depends
the world and you depend on the world. There is mutual inter-
dependence.

There is not only this mutual interdependence among the
people of this world, but also between the people of this world
and the celestials in heaven—in other words between the be-
ings in the whole universe,

Therefore, the Lord created Yajna—a spirit of self-sacri-
fice—in all beings while creating them. This Yajna is the
milch-cow that will yield all the desired fruits. And, the Creator
said to Man: “Approach the celestials (and others) with this
Yajna-spirit, then nourish them with this sacrifice and they will,
in their turn nourish you." This is the Creator's Wheel: and itis
His Will, No one can escape this, till one attains Jnana and at-
tains release from the Creator's grip.

This spirit of Yajna itself is the secret of Liberation.
Yajnarthaat Karmanonyatra Lokoyam Karmabandhanah: all
action, except those performed as Yajna, are binding in this
world. The same action performed with selfish motive binds
you to the Samsara; and performed as a selfless service, in the
spirit of Yajna, it liberates you from Samsara. Therefore, per-
form your duties in a spirit of sacrifice, without attachment. You
will be liberated.

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66 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Every householder should perform the five great
Yajnas—Pancha Maha Yajnas—daily. They are:

4. Deva-Yajna—offering sacrifices to gods which will
satisfy the Devas.

2. Brahma-Yajna or Rishi-Yajna—teaching and reciting
the scriptures which will satisfy Brahman and Rishis.

3. Pitri-Yajna—offering libations of water to one’s
ancestors which will satisfy the Pitris,

4. Nri-Yajna—the feeding of the hungry and the guests.

5, Bhuta-Yajna—the feeding of the animals.

The daily performance of these five Yajnas purifies the
heart quickly and enables the Light of Self-knowledge to shine
brightly in the heart. It is obvious that the performance of these
Yajnas presupposes and also helps cultivation of selflessness
to a very high degree of perfection, The non-performance of
these Yajnas, of course, signifies selfishness in the man: how
can a selfish man ever hope to attain Self-realisation?

Therefore, the Lord emphasises that Yajna, Daana and
Tapas, should never be abandoned by any man, however spiri-
tually advanced he might be. Even the great ones, the sages
and saints are characterised by the Lord as
‘Sarva-Bhuta-Hite-Ratah’ (devoted to the welfare of all beings).
It is in order to leave no room for doubt in this regard that the
Lord engaged Himself in unwearied action during His Krishna
Avatara.

The Lord does not leave the definition of this Yajna by
merely characterising it as “detachment”: He goes into great
detail—for, this is the all-important governing principle of life.

Yadrichchalabhasantushto Dvandvateeto Vimatsarah

Samah Siddhavasiddhau cha kritvaapi na nibadhyate

“Content with what comes to him without effort, free from
the pairs of opposites and envy, even-minded in success and
failure though acting he is not bound.”

How can a man who is serving selflessly in a spirit of
self-sacrifice ever expect anything? To serve is thy duty, and
thy privilege, not to reward. Effort is to be put forth to serve oth-

MAN AND HUMANITY 67

ers; not to attain any object. Without specific effort for the at-
tainment of that object, whatever comes is the Lord's gift, to be
accepted with reverence. You should at the same time be free
from the pairs of opposites—honour and dishonour, praise and
insult, love and hatred, etc—and free from envy. Envy has
been singled out for special emphasis because that is the one
evil quality that greatly taints the spirit of self-sacrifice. This evil
creeps into the heart of even great Karma Yogins and causes
their downfall. “| have served selflessly all these years; but he,
who has not served anyone at all, has attained name, fame and
prosperity, whilst | have remained unknown and penni-
less,"—when this thought arises in the mind, know that Yajna
has come to an end and that Kama has started and the down-
ward progress has commenced! Beware. Where there is the
least envy there cannot be Yoga, no spirituality, no Jnana. He
who performs his duties in the spirit of Yajna is even-minded in
success and failure: obviously, because he is not concerned
with the fruits of the actions he performs as his duty. To one who
works in this way, the actions are not binding. They themselves
purify his heart and help Liberation. All his actions are burnt in
the fire of Yajna.

The Lord gives a mystic definition of the Yajna—a great
Mantra which at once elevates you to Brahmic heights:

Brahmarpanam Brahma Havirbrahmagnau

Brahmana Hutam

Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahmakarma-samadhinaa

“Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the clarified butter;
by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman;
Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always sees Brah-
man in action.”

Repeat this Mantra often during the day, during your work.
Again and again, generate this Bhava. You will soon be estab-
lished in Brahman. After the performance of each action, offer it
as “Brahmarpanam”. You will be freed from the clutches of
Prakriti who keeps up this world-show.

The Lord goes farther and gives a list of the Yajnas, to
show the essential elements, and the different ways in which

68 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

people, endowed with different temperaments, approach the
Goal—Yajna.

4. Some Yogins perform sacrifice to Devatas alone, in
accordance with the injunctions of the Vedas.

2. Others offer the self as sacrifice by the Self in the fire
of Brahman alone. They are the Jnana Yogins who negate the
little self and assert the identity of the Self with Brahman.

3. Some again offer sound and other senses as sacri-
fices in the fire of self-restraint. They are the great Tapasvins.

4, Others offer sound and other objects of senses as sac-
rifices in the fire of the senses. They are the Grihasthis who
lead the ideal divine life, allowing their senses to accept pure
and unforbidden objects of the senses.

5. Others again sacrifice all the functions of the senses
and the functions of the breath (Prana) in the fire of the Yoga of
self-restraint kindled by knowledge. They are the Raja Yogins
who withdraw the senses and the mind inward and in Samadhi
attain superconscious Experience, and transcendental knowl-
edge.

6. Others perform the Yajna of charity. They are the phi-
lanthropists who ceaselessly perform charity. By charity their
heart is expanded and in due time they attain knowledge of the
Self.

7. Others again perform the Yajna of austerity: they
adopt various methods to get over the body-idea, of selfish-
ness, greed, etc.

8. To others Yoga itself is a Yajna.

9. The ascetics of self-restraint and rigid vows offer study
of scriptures and knowledge itself as sacrifice.

10. Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the in-
coming, and the incoming in the outgoing, restraining the
courses of the outgoing and incoming, breaths, solely ab-
sorbed in the restraint of breath. They are the Hatha Yogins
who strive for the Kevala Kumbhaka or the suspension of
breath, through which they attain Manolaya and eventually ab-
sorption in the Self.

MAN AND HUMANITY 69

11. Yet others are given to fasting and other methods of
regulating the food of the senses: thus the Prana is conserved
and offered as an oblation into itself. The Prana thus comes un-
der complete control and with it the mind—and this self-control
leads to Self-realisation.

These and many others are the Yajnas that enable Man to
get best of the life on earth and attain Moksha, too. One who
has not got the spirit of self-sacrifice lives in vain: he is not
loved by people here. He leads a miserable life here. Nor does
he attain heaven. Moksha is something he dare not even
dream of.

How should a Yajna be performed and how it should not
be, is discussed by the Lord while speaking of the division of
everything into the three catagories—Sattvic, Rajasic and
Tamasic. When a sacrifice is offered by man, without desire for
reward as enjoined in the scriptures, with a firm faith that itis his
sacred duty to serve selflessly, it is Sattvic or pure sacrifice.
When, however, the sacrifice is performed with a desire for a
particular reward and for show, it is Rajasic Yajna. When it is
contrary to the injunctions of the Sastras, in which neither the
Mantras are chanted nor charity done, and in which the per-
former himself has no real faith—it is Tamasic. Avoid the
Tamasic; strive to rise above Rajasic and get established in the
Sattvic form of Yajna—Yajna not only means ritualistic sacri-
fice, but all selfless acts of service.

Finally, remember always the Lord's Commandments:

Yatkaroshi Yadashnasi Yajjuhoshi Dadasi Yat

Yattapasyasi Kaunteya Tat Kurushva Madarpanam

“Whatever thou dost, whatever thou eatest, whatever thou
offerest in sacrifice, whatever thou givest, whatever thou
practiseth as austerity, O Kaunteya, do it as an offering unto
Me.”

This is the supreme secret of the Yajna-spirit. Work as His
Instrument. Offer every action to Him as Brahmarpanam, as a
flower of your heart's devotion to His Lotus-Feet. You will be lib-
erated here and now.

Chapter Fifteen

THE FOUR CASTES IN SOCIETY
AND THEIR SPECIAL DUTIES

Call them by what names you like, the Four Castes—
Brahmana (the religious), Kshatriya (the ruling class), Vaishya
(merchant) and Sudra (servant)—are universal. The Lord is
very severe, in the Bhagavad Gita, in regard to the division of
the castes. Guna and Karma are both taken into consideration
in the division of the castes. May be, the Purva-Karma, or the
merits acquired in previous births, might bestow on a Jiva, birth
as a Brahmin. But, if the Guna that predominates in him is notin
accordance with that which ought to prevail in a Brahmana, he
cannot be regarded as one. Aman may possess the Guna that
goes with a Kshatriya; but if he engages himself in business, he
can no longer be considered a Kshatriya, in truth. When these
principles are ignored, the caste system becomes just a
formality.

What are the Gunas that characterise the Four Castes?

In a Brahmin, Sattva predominates. He possesses
self-restraint, purity, straightforwardness, serenity, etc. In a
Kshatriya, Rajas predominates. He possesses prowess,
splendour, firmness, dexterity, generosity, in short the nature
of a ruler. In a Vaishya, Rajas predominates and there is
Tamas, too. He does the duty of ploughing, protection of cat-
tle and trade. In a Sudra, Tamas predominates and Rajas is
subordinate to Tamas. He serves the other three castes.

The Purusha-Sukta beautifully assigns to these Four
Castes, various parts of the Virat-Being’s Bady. The Brahmin is
assigned the Head and the Sudra the Feet. This, however does
not in any way give undue importance to any one caste. As all
the limbs are necessary to make the man whole, all the castes
are equal. The society stands on its legs (Sudras), though it
might have a halo around its head (Brahmins).

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THE FOUR CASTES IN SOCIETY AND .. . 71

The Lord, in the Bhagavad Gita itself, has emphatically
declared the fundamental equality of people belonging to all
the castes: Striyo-Vaishya-statha-Sudra Te-api Yanti Param
Gatim—Women, Vaishyas and Sudras, even they can attain
the Supreme State (Moksha or Final Liberation), thus silencing
the notion prevalent then that as these were not allowed to re-
cite the Vedas they had no access to the Path to Self-realisa-
tion, Sve Sve Karmanyabhiratah Samsiddhim Labhate Narah:
engaged in one’s own duties the man attains Perfection, said
the Lord. For, it is the Bhava or the mental attitude, with which
the duty is performed that really matters. The Bhava is laid
down by the Lord in that soul-elevating half-Sloka:
Sva-karmana Tamabhyarchya Siddhim Vindati Manavah,—
worshipping the Lord with his actions, man attains Perfection.
Mark the word “worshipping”: that one word contains the very
essence of the Gita-Amrita. Perform all actions as divine Wor-
ship, as devout worship of the Lord who is seated in all beings
and in you, too; and you are on the Path to God-realisation—to
whichever caste you belong and whatever be the nature of the
work you are engaged in.

Having the classification of the Four Castes, the Lord
gives a general definition of their duties, also.

The crown of the Brahmana is adorned with these nine
dazzling gems. Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgive-
ness, uprightness, knowledge, realisation, belief in God and
scriptures—these are the nine duties of a Brahamana. O Brah-
mins! Here are the caste-marks that the Lord has imposed
upon you. Introspect and analyse yourselves—are you putting
on these divine caste-marks on your forehead every day?
Have you cultivated the quality of serenity: only in a serene
mind will the Light of God descend. Self-restraint ought to be
your second nature; and austere should be your life, not one
given to luxury. Be pure in thought, word and deed. Become an
embodiment of forgiveness: bear insult and bear injury. Be
truthful, honest and straightforward in all your dealings with the
world. Acquire scriptural knowledge; attain Self-realisation.
Have unshakable faith in God and the scriptures. Then you are
a Brahmana, in truth.

72 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

The duties of a Kshatriya are equally ennobling and edify-
ing. He should be strong and powerful. He should be brave and
chivalrous. He must be a Tejasvi! The splendour of which the
Lord speaks here is not the splendour of a golden armour or
gaudy dress: it is the brilliance of the soul, magnetic
personality, divine aura, acquired by the Kshatriya by leading a
divine life, devoted to the practice and the protection of
Dharma. Firmness is one of the cardinal virtues of the King. He
must think well and consult his ministers, before arriving at a
decision: then he should stand firm in his resolve. The fate of all
his subjects hangs upon him: if he is of an ever-changing tem-
perament it would inflict untold misery upon his subjects. Dex-
terity and promptness of action characterise the ruler. He must
have a sharp, subtle intellect, that would grasp matters at once;
and he must have well-developed discrimination that would
promptly arrive at a decision and at the right way of executing it.
All these would become easy only if the ruler is guided by the
Eternal Dharma, and by the advice of saints and sages, his
own Guru. For the sake of the preservation of Dharma, the
Kshatriya is allowed to wage war. But, in this connection, it is
good to bear in mind the Lord's own example: a study of the
Mahabharata would reveal that the Lord, though He was omni-
scient and knew that the war was inevitable, did endeavour to
avoid the war and come to a peaceful settlement with the en-
emy, and that he advised war only when this was inevitable.
Dharmic battle for a Kshatriya is Svarga-Dvara—the gateway
to heaven. If even here the Kshatriya adopts the attitude of
Nimittha (God's instrument), he can attain Liberation even
through the battle. Therefore, the Lord lays down “not flying
away from the battlefield" as one of the qualifications of a
Kshatriya. Then comes another important virtue—generosity.
He should feel that all his subjects are his own children—how
very generous in every way would the ruler then be towards his
subject! He is the Lord of the people placed by God under his
care. He protects them. He is really an Amsa of God as he per-
forms here the divine duty which the Lord has imposed upon
Himself, viz., protection of the righteous, subdual of the wicked,

THE FOUR CASTES IN SOCIETY AND .. . 73

and the preservation of Dharma. This is the Kshatriya's fore-
most duty.

The Vaishya should engage himself in agriculture, cat-
tle-rearing and trade. And, serving the other three castes is the
duty of the Sudra.

It does not mean that the Vaishya need not equip himself
with the great virtues of truthfulness, straightforwardness, etc.
The fundamental ethical principles laid down in the Bhagavad
Gita apply to all, to whichever caste or order of life they might
belong: only the special duties and responsibilities of the peo-
ple belonging to each caste are laid down here.

Do your own duty. Mind your own business. This is better
than encroaching upon the field of another and usurping his
place. In the performance of your own duty lies Sreyas; and
venturing upon another's field of work entails fearful conse-
quences.

Even if one's duties—the duties pertaining to his caste—
appear to be faulty, one should not abandon them. Punishing
the wicked is a Kshatriya's duty, though outwardly it might look
like Himsa. Earning reasonable profit is permissible for a
Vaishya though it might appear to be greed. Ultimately, it
should be realised that all actions in this Vyavaharic world
are tainted by defect and sin: one should, therefore, perform
them with detachment, and as a mere instrument in the
hands of the Lord, as His worship, in accordance with His
Will. After doing all actions everyone should offer them all as
“Brahmarpanam” or “Krishnarpanam". Then the actions
would not bind him,

Chapter Sixteen
SWEET NOTES FROM SRI KRISHNA’S FLUTE

4. Be a man. Yield not to weakness. Weakness of the
heart is the fountain of sins.

2. Childhood, youth, old age and death are stages in the
soul's progress; none of these awes a hero.

3. The experiences of the world come and go; endure
them. That is the road to Immortality.

4. The false glitter of unreal objects cannot endure for
long; triumph is for Truth. Victory is to the good alone.

5. Bow to the inevitable. Strive for the ideal.

6. Care not for the name and fame. Court not dishonour
and ill-fame. lll-fame acquired through unrighteousness is
worse than death.

7. Righteously fight the battle of life. If you win you will en-
joy peace, happiness and prosperity here; even if you have to
face calamities and failures here, you will enjoy in heaven.

8. Equanimity enables you to transcend sin.

9. Serve, serve and serve: to serve all is thy privilege.

40. Shun vicious actions, words and even thoughts.

11. Take a deep interest in everything you do: Yoga is
skilfulness in action.

42. Let not worldly miseries disturb the tranquillity of your
heart, Let not worldly pleasures bind you to the objects. Give up
attachment, fear and anger and roam about fearlessly.

43, Be always cheerful; cheerfulness keeps misery away.

44. Abandon desire. Give up desire. Annihilate desire.
Desire is your greatest enemy.

45. Itis sin to be selfish. Itis the greatest sin to eat without
sharing your meal with the poor and the lower creatures.

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SWEET NOTES FROM SRI KRISHNA'S FLUTE 75

16. Be exemplary in your character. Your actions should
inspire others to lead the divine life of truth, love and purity.

17. Never disturb the faith of others. Help each one to
find his or her own path, according to his or her tempera-
ment.

18. Not suppression of the natural functions of the bodily
organs, but the sublimation of life itself is the end and aim of
Yoga.

19. Rise above Raga-Dvesha, likes and dislikes; you will
not be bound to Samsara, even though you work unceasingly,

20, Do your duty; mind your business. Do not embrace an-
other person's Dharma; don't poke your nose in other people's
affairs.

21. First control the senses; then you will be able to sub-
due the demon within you—desire.

22. When you commence an action, feel “This is my wor-
ship of the Lord. | want nothing but a chance to serve Him in all,
His Will be done." Give up desire and give up doership: feel you
are only a Nimitta (instrument) in His Hands.

23. Give your hands to work and heart to God, This is
Yoga.

24. Give, give: give alms, give clothes, give shelter to the
destitute. But the gift of Knowledge is better than all these. In-
spire everyone to practise Sadhana and realise God here and
now; this is supreme selfless service to humanity.

25. Serve your Guru untiringly. Earn his grace; and by his
grace you will attain knowledge of the Self.

26. Cast off all doubts. Have faith in the words of the scrip-
tures and your Guru.

27. Even while you are engaged in actions, feel inwardly
that the senses move among sense-objects and that you do
nothing.

28. Remain in the world as a lotus-leaf remains in wa-
ter—untouched by worldliness.

76 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

29. Constantly think of God; become established in God;
make God and God alone your supreme goal, You will reach
the lotus-feet of God here and now and return no more to this
world of pain and death.

30. See God in all: in a dog and an elephant, in a Brahmin
and a Pariah.

31. The wise ones do not delight in the pleasure of the
senses.

32. Conserve and transmute the energy that manifests in
you as lust and anger: it will greatly help you in your meditation,
and in your selfless service.

33. Run not after the mirage of sense-pleasures. Look
within. Dive within in the ocean of Eternal Bliss.

34, Be devoted to the service of all beings: this is the easi-
est way to attain Cosmic Consciousness.

35. Strive in every way to elevate yourself; never to court
downfall.

36. Rise above the pairs of opposites—heat and cold,
honour and dishonour, pain and pleasure, success and failure.

37. Resort to seclusion; Practise meditation.

38. Covet not other's property; do not become a slave to
luxury.

39. Eat alittle, drink alittle, talk a little, sleep a little, work a
little, rest a little, meditate a little, and cogitate a little. This is the
simple way to attain integral Perfection.

40. Restrain the mind by intelligent means, by continued
practice and by the cultivation of Vairgaya (dispassion).

41. If you are suffering from pain, strive to obtain relief
from prayer to God. If you are eager to acquire knowledge pray
to God. If you want worldly goods, then, too, pray to God, If you
are a wise man who seeks Moksha, then pray to God. It is good
to resort to His Lotus-Feet, whatever be the purpose; and it is
better to pray to Him only for devotion and liberation.

SWEET NOTES FROM SRI KRISHNA'S FLUTE 7

42. Mentally repeat and feel: “Vasudevah Sarvam"
“Sarvam Brahmamayam" “Sarvam Vishnumayam" “Sarvam
Sivamayam” “Sarvam Saktimayam.”

43. Always think of God and repeat His Name mentally: no
one knows which is the last breath. If the last thought is of God,
you will attain God.

44. Of vain hopes, vain actions, vain knowledge and
senseless is the man of Asuric nature.

45, But that Mahatma who is of divine nature worships
God with a single-minded devotion, always glorifying Him,
striving to attain Him by being, firm in his vows, and always
prostrating to Him in all beings, he worships God with steadfast
devotion. Shun the ways of the Asuric beings; become a
Mahatman.

46. Think of God constantly; this is your duty. To look after
your welfare is the duty of the Lord who created you.

47. Whatever you do, whatever charities you perform,
whatever you enjoy, and whatever austerity and Sadhana you
do, do everything as an offering unto the
Lord—Brahmarpanam. You will thus be freed from birth and
death.

48. Having taken birth in this world of pain and death, wor-
ship the Lord.

49. Fill your mind with thoughts of God; fill your heart with
devotion to God; let your hands constantly perform actions for
His sake; let your head bow down to Him Who is seated in all
beings. This is the royal road to Self-realisation.

50. Wise ones realise that God is the source of all and
thus are constantly engaged in meditation.

51. Their minds are wholly absorbed in God; they live in
Him for His sake; they talk to each other about Him; they are
self-satisfied and delighted in the very thought of God.

52. Hate not any being; God dwells in all.

53. Fix your mind on Him; worship Him with steadfast de-
votion and supreme faith—this is the best Yoga.

78 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

54. Renounce the fruits of actions: this is the greatest se-
cret of the Bhagavad Gita.

55. Care not for the reward: do your duty.

56. Whether you succeed or fail, the performance of your
duty itself is your best reward.

57. Develop forgiving nature: nay, love all and never let
your heart feel that anyone has done anything to you which you
need forgive. Thank the one that helps you; be grateful to the
one that injures you or insults you.

58. Remember this great ideal: no one should be afraid of
you nor should you be afraid of anyone. Frame your conduct
accordingly.

59. Be free from a sense of want; be pure; be an adept in
all actions; be unconcerned about the outcome of your efforts;
let not your heart be troubled by any event; offer all your actions
and their fruits to Him.

60. Develop contentment. Be contented with whatever co-
mes to you—that is the Lord's gift to you, His Grace.

61. Treat this body of yours, and the body of every being
on earth, as the living and moving Temples of the Lord. Do not
defile it.

62. Do not injure anyone in thought, word or deed: pros-
trate to everyone, greeting all as the visible manifestations of
the Lord.

63. Do daily Svadhyaya of the Vibhuti Yoga chapter of the
Gita: remember His special manifestations here and do
Namaskara daily to them.

64. God dwells even in the evil man: hate not anyone.

65. Be humble.

66. Do not pretend what you are not in reality.

67. Be upright in your dealings.

68. Serve your Guru selflessly, wholeheartedly, willingly,
obediently, and humbly.

69. Be pure in thought; word and deed.

SWEET NOTES FROM SRI KRISHNA'S FLUTE 79

70. Be steadfast in your faith in God, devotion to the Guru,
adherence to Dharma, and attempt to reach the Goal of Life,

71. Self-control is the greatest conquest.
72. Do not hanker after sense-objects.

73. Kill egoism ruthlessly; first root out its various manifes-
tations, lust, anger, greed, vanity, etc., and then acquire Knowl-
edge of the Self so that the subtlest ego might be annihilated.

74. Constantly reflect upon the evils of birth, death, old
age, sickness, and pain, that characterise this Samsara: you
will develop dispassion and discrimination.

75. Do not identify yourself with this body of yours, nor
with your son, wife, home and the rest, that are born of this
false identification with the body.

76. Shun the company of worldly men.

77. Whenever you can, go into seclusion: contemplate on
God.

78. Cultivate fearlessness: love all and serve all.
79. Speak the truth at all costs.
80, Be peaceful. Behave peacefully. Radiate peace to all.

81. Be gentle and sweet in your speech, in your look, in
your actions.

82. Be modest. Be humble. Be noble.

83. Be firm in your resolves and in your vows.

84. Endure with fortitude.

85. Renounce lust, anger and greed: these are the gate-
ways to Hell.

86, Let the scriptures and the instructions of your spiritual
preceptor guide your conduct.

87. Renounce selfishness: renounce all selfish actions.

88. Worship the Lord with the performance of your duties:
you will soon attain Him.

Chapter Seventeen
SELF-SURRENDER

Sarva-Dharman Parityajya Mamekam Saranam Vraja,

Aham Tva Sarvapapebhyo Mokshayishyami Maa Sucha.

This is the Supreme Promise, Emphatic Assurance, that
the Lord has given us in the Bhagavad Gita.

When all is said and done, individual intellect is finite, and
individual will is weak and impotent. The Lord is All-knowledge,
Absolute Knowledge Itself and Omniscient. His Will is Omnipo-
tent and Mighty. Even a dry leaf cannot be wafted by the stron-
gest gale if itis not His Will. And, this truth has been beautifully
illustrated in the beautiful story told in the Kenopanishad where
Agni and Vayu—the very gods of fire and wind—themselves
find unable to deal with a bit of straw placed before them by the
Divine Being.

In truth, the Jiva is a spark of Para-Brahman; his intellect
is a part of the Absolute Chit; his will is part and parcel of the Di-
vine Will. But the identity, intellect and will of the Jiva are all lim-
ited by Avidya (ignorance) and the Upadhis (limiting adjuncts);
therefore, the Jiva feels he is a separate entity endowed with
an independent existence, intelligence and will.

The best way to eradicate this ignorance is by self-surren-
der. For in this surrender all the false assumptions raised by ig-
norance are sacrificed. The existence, the Reality, of the One
and Only Supreme Being alone is recognised. The spark of
consciousness that shines in man, lending the light and power
to his intelligence, his will, his senses and the mind, is recog-
nised to be identical with the Conflagration of Cosmic Con-
sciousness. Personality is immolated at the altar of the
Impersonal Absolute. Desire, the “Head” of the Ego, is offered
in sacrifice, severed by the Sword of Detachment.

All sins are instantly destroyed. All evil tendencies are
burnt. The Jiva attains union with Godhead. It attains what Lord
Sri Krishna aptly describes “Mat-Bhava” (My Bhava), The

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SELF-SURRENDER 81

sage—for that is what one becomes the instant after complete,
total surrender—is no longer one other than God, with a delu-
sion veiling the Reality; but he is verily He, the Supreme Being
Himself, sharing His Bliss and His Power and His Eternal, Infi-
nite Nature.

Chapter Eighteen

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A STHITAPRAJNA

The man who has attained perfection in the Gita-Ethics is
rooted in the Consciousness of God. This is the Goal; this is the
end of all human endeavours; this is the greatest achievement
and the best acquisition,

The Sthitaprajna's characteristics are the highest ethical
principles which every Sadhaka would do well to adhere to and
strive to perfect in himself. The Gita does not recognise failure.
Lord Sri Krishna was a supreme optimist—He was nothing but
divine optimism. Have the ideal of a Sthitaprajna before you.
Strive, strive and strive daily to translate it into your own life. Let
it take years to take a step towards the Goal, but despair not,
march forward, with the greatest assurance of the Lord as your
armour: “Never does one who is engaged in righteous
endeavour, come to grief.” If notin this itself, in the next birth,
you might achieve the aim of life and reach the life's Goal.

The greatest characteristic of a Sthitaprajna is desire-
lessness. He has burt his desires. What is the fire that burns
desires? Elsewhere, Lord Sri Krishna has mentioned it as the
Jnana-Agni—the Fire of Knowledge. The realisation that the
Self alone is the Reality and that all names and forms are its un-
real appearances, and the conviction that all happiness is ob-
tained when the mind, for a brief while, becomes desireless,
between the fulfilment of one desire and the rising of another,
enables him to drink at the very fountain of Supreme Bliss—in
his Self.

What is the touchstone for this desirelessness, so that we
may be sure it is there? The total absence of attraction and
aversion. Vita-Raga-Bhaya-Krodha, says the Lord. Raga is de-
luded attraction to objects. Dvesha, the Lord has split into its
two component parts — Bhaya and Krodha. Now, a Sthita-
prajna is not unduly tempted by pleasurable experiences and

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THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A STHITAPRAJNA 83

does not get attached to them when they present themselves to
him; nor is he upset by unpleasant experiences.

He achieves this by dexterously withdrawing his senses
from their objects. This comes to him naturally as he has lost all
attraction towards them. The Lord gives you a beautiful picture
to remember: the tortoise withdrawing its limbs into the shell.
The moment the forces of worldliness, of selfishness, of
Raga-Dvesha and the like come to assail him, the Sthitaprajna
withdraws himself into his shell of Atma-Jnana, his invulnera-
ble fortress.

This is a feat difficult of achievement. The Lord does not
under-rate its difficulty, but gives a practical hint for its achieve-
ment. Intelligent self-denial is the method. Do not fulfil your de-
sires; it is foolish to imagine that desires can be controlled by
fulfilling them. The tamer of wild animals knows that he cannot
bring an elephant, tiger or lion under his control, by sumptu-
ously feeding them. He does not starve them to death, either.
The technique for controlling the senses and the mind is ex-
actly the same. By the systematic practice of self-denial,
backed up by constant discrimination and enquiry, the
Sadhaka will be able to control his senses. But, then, it is dan-
gerous to relax even when this stage has been reached. If the
hold is relaxed and the senses allowed to feed to their satisfac-
tion, they would become ferocious once again. Till the Su-
preme Being is seen, till Self-realisation is achieved and one
gets rooted in the Knowledge of the Self, one should be vigi-
lant. For only then do the senses and the mind shed their out-
going nature. Remaining constantly rooted in this
Consciousness till the body drops off, at the conclusion of the
Prarabdha-Karma that gave birth to it, man attains the Su-
preme Seat—Brahma-Nirvana. This is the Goal. May you all at-
tain this goal in this very birth! May you shine as Jivanmuktas,
Bhagavatas, Yogins, and Para-Bhaktas here and now! May
God bless you with health, long life, peace, prosperity and
Kaivalya Moksha!

Sri Krishnarpanamastu!

Gita Jayanti Messages

1942

MESSAGE OF THE GITA

Blessed Immortal Souls!

My amiable friends! Many Gita Jayantis have come and
gone and yet the darkness of your heart has not disappeared.
Become a practical man. Live in the spirit of the teachings of
the Gita daily. Aspire fervently. Lead a pure life. Watch the evil
Vrittis of the mind carefully and nip them in the bud. Introspect
and remove your defects. Cultivate good and sublime
thoughts. Do daily virtuous actions. Serve the society with a
disinterested spirit. Constantly remember those Slokas of the
Gita which will help you daily to lead a virtuous and divine life.
Repeat them daily.

Stick to your Dharma and truthfulness. Do selfless ser-
vice. Surrender yourself to the Lord. Have equal vision and bal-
anced mind in success and failure, honour and dishonour, heat
and cold, pleasure and pain, happiness and sorrow. Give the
mind to the Lord and hands to the service of humanity, Be es-
tablished in the vow of Brahmacharya. Give up selfishness,
meanness, attachment and egoism. You will free yourself from
the wheel of births and deaths, from the bonds of Karma and at-
tain Supreme peace, eternal bliss and immortality. This is the
Message of the Gita.

You may know the whole Gita by heart. You may deliver
lectures on the Gita for hours together and yet you may not
have a ray of the wisdom of the Gita. What is wanted is actual
living a life with mental non-attachment following the teachings
of the Gita.

Gita gives two Mantras for constant repetition. They are
“OM” in eighth chapter and “OM TAT SAT” in the seventeenth
chapter. Live in OM or OM TAT SAT, the symbol of Para Brah-
man or Para Brahman Itself.

Practise the three vows given in the sixteenth chapter. De-
velop the virtues that are enumerated in the thirteenth and the

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88 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

sixteenth chapters which are aids for the attainment of the
Knowledge of the Self. You may fail several times and fall down
but again stand up as a hero and march forward fearlessly in
the spiritual path and reach the goal of life.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the cream of the Vedas. It is
the quintessence of the Upanishads. It is a unique book for
all times. The teachings of the Gita are universal and sub-
lime. It has a message for the solace, peace, freedom and
perfection of all human beings. Dive deep in the ocean of the
Gita, bring out the most precious pearls of Knowledge and
attain Immortality.

May the Lord grant you strength to stick to your vows, re-
solves, truth and Dharma. May you ever abide in Lord Krishna
and His precious teachings. May you all become like Arjuna.
May the life of Arjuna inspire you all with noble instincts, noble
ideals. Glory to Lord Krishna! Glory to the Gita! Glory to Arjuna!
Glory to those who follow the valuable teachings of the Gita.

1943
THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Its Importance and Significance

Gita-day or the Birthday of Srimad Bhagavad Gita is cele-
brated throughout India by all admirers and lovers of this
unique book on the 11th day (Ekadasi) of the bright half of the
Marga Sirsha month according to the Hindu almanac,

The teachings of the Gita are broad, universal and
sublime. Its teachings do not belong to any cult, sect, creed,
particular age, place or country. Its teachings are meant for the
people of the whole world at large. The teachings are based on
the Upanishads, the ancient wisdom of the seers, Rishis and
sages. It teaches a method which is within the reach of all, It
has a message for the solace, peace, freedom, salvation and
perfection of all human beings.

Study of the Gita alone is sufficient for the purpose of daily
Svadhyaya. You will find a solution here for all your doubts, The
more you study with devotion and faith, the more you will get
deeper knowledge, penetrative insight and clear right thinking.
Even if you live in the spirit of one Sloka of the Gita, all your mis-
eries will come to an end and you will attain the goal of life—|m-
mortality and Eternal Peace.

The Gita is a gospel for the whole world. It is meant for the
generality of mankind. It was given about six thousand years
ago in the battlefield of Kurukshetra by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.

None but the Lord can bring out such an unprecedented
and marvellous book which gives peace to the readers, which
helps and guides them in the attainment of Supreme Bliss,
which has survived upto this time. This itself proves clearly that
God exists, that God is an embodiment of knowledge and that
one can attain perfection or liberation by realising God alone.

Maya flies away from those who are given to the recitation
of the names of the Lord, who study the Gita daily and who

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90 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

strive to live in the spirit of the teachings of even one Stloka of
the Gita.

Those who are under the influence of Avidya or ignorance
always wander in the Samsara. Those who are given to the
practice of introspection, Japa, Kirtan, meditation and study of
holy scriptures are always emancipated.

Knowledge of Self reveals itself to those who are the dev-
otees of the Lord and who worship daily. Those who are pos-
sessed of devotion are undoubtedly emancipated. Those who
are destitute of the nectar of devotion cannot achieve emanci-
pation even in dream.

It is want of proper regularised Sadhana that pulls man
down from his stage. It is want of proper precautionary mea-
sures that makes him slip down. If you are truly earnest, if your
ambition to rise higher and higher in the spiritual ladder is keen,
there is no question of fall. For at every step you will look at the
height that you have reached, the height that you have yet to
climb, and think of the future step to be taken. Kindly do this
now. Never allow your leg to slip and bring you down headlong
into the low level.

Whatever your work may be, Sadhana must go on as
usual, just as you take your food and care for your bodily com-
fort. If you allow one day to slip off, the bad Vritti will take pos-
session of yourself slowly and drag you down gradually. Do not
do Sadhana by fits and starts. Let it be a continuous flow like
tailadhara.

Purity is the passport to the land of Eternal Bliss. If you
hold this passport, you can reach the yonder land where reign
everlasting peace, unalloyed felicity and eternal sunshine.

Seek thou the hidden, inexhaustible treasures of the Self
within. You will realise that the empire of the whole world, even
the empire of gods is dust before the splendour of knowledge of
Self. Terrible is the bondage of this world. Go beyond mundane
life and live in the eternal. May you through great effort attain
the illimitable riches of the Omnipotent soul.

There is no temple more sacred than a purified mind, a
mind concentrated on the Lord. Let the tempest blow, When

THE BHAGAVAD GITA 1

temptations assail you, when the senses hiss and raise their
hoods, when desires try to overcome you, when the mind fluc-
tuates, call upon God, Sing His name. Do Japa. Pray fervently.
He hears even the sound caused by the fall of a pin or an ant. If
you repeat His name you can easily cross this formidable
ocean of Samsara. Let your tongue always repeat Lord's
Names. Let your ears hear His praises and Lilas. Let the mind
concentrate on His Form. Faith, faith, faith ! Every thing de-
pends upon faith. Rely on Him alone. He will look after you in
every way.

The world is the best training ground and every day gives
us a new opportunity to test our spiritual strength. This world
will tempt an aspirant even in his Himalayan seclusion. The
mind is to be curbed, held tight in your grasp, trained in a new
manner, and the problems have to be tackled.

The message of the Gita is the message of sacrifice, love
and duty. Love all. Share what you have with others. Do your
duties well. Live in the light of the unique teachings of the Gita.
Rise above petty likes and dislikes. Live in Lord Krishna,
Yogesvara, who is an embodiment of love. Keep open the por-
tals of your heart by removing selfishness, greed, lust so that
Lord Krishna may come and dwell therein.

Become like Arjuna, a warrior and kill the enemies within
through the arrow of devotion. Lead the Divine Life while re-
maining in the world. Study constantly the Gita. Let the teach-
ings enter your whole being. Your whole attitude towards life
will be gradually changed. You will become a God-man with
God-vision. You will not be perturbed by the pairs of opposites.
You will attain everlasting peace, immortality and eternal bliss.

Develop the divine attributes that are mentioned in thir-
teenth and sixteenth chapters of the Gita, Practise the three
kinds of Tapas prescribed in the seventeenth chapter. Surren-
der the fruits of your actions to the Lord. Give up the idea "| am
doer.” Think of the Lord at all times and fight, i.e., discharge
your Varnashrama duties well. With the mind not wandering af-
ter anything else, harmonised by constant practice, constantly

92 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

meditating, you will attain the Supreme. This is the message of
the Gita.

Love is knowledge in diffusive expression. Knowledge is
love in concentrated essence. Service is love expressed
through action. Love, knowledge and service are equally nec-
essary in the complete setting up of Divine Life. Heart, head
and hand must be harmoniously developed. Then only you will
attain perfection. The Gita prescribes methods to develop the
heart, head and hand. The thirteenth chapter treats of Sadhana
that is best calculated to develop the heart. The third chapter
deals with the methods to purify the heart through selfless ser-
vice. The eighteenth chapter shows the way to attain knowl-
edge.

May you all live in the spirit of the Gita's teachings. May
the Gita guide you and lighten the burden of Samsara. May you
all become like warrior Yogi Arjuna! May the blessings of Lord
Krishna be upon you all! Glory to the Gita! Glory to Lord
Krishna! Glory to votaries of the Gita!

1944

GITA—THE SOURCE OF POWER

The Bhagavad Gita is the most beautiful and the only truly
philosophical song. It contains the sublime lessons of wisdom
and philosophy. It is the song Divine. It is a universal gospel. It
contains the message of life which appeals to all irrespective of
age, race or religion.

The Gita was given about six thousand years ago to
Arjuna, an Indian prince, by Sri Krishna. The teachings are
based on the Upanishads, the ancient metaphysical classics of
India. The Gita shows a way to rise above the world of duality
and the pairs of opposites and to attain eternal bliss and
Immortality. It is a gospel of action. It teaches a rigid perfor-
mance of one's duty in society, a life of active struggle, keeping
one's inner being untouched by outer surroundings and re-
nouncing all fruits of action as offerings unto the Lord.

The Gita is the source of power and wisdom. It strength-
ens you when you are weak and inspires you when you are fee-
ble. It teaches you to embrace Dharma and resist Adharma.

Study of the Gita is well calculated to do immense good by
enabling you to understand the real meaning and value of life
as well as the supreme purpose for which it has to be lived,

It is a matter for great regret that many young men and
women of India know very little of this sublime book. You can-
not consider yourself as having attained a good education if
you have no sound knowledge of the Gita. All post-graduate
knowledge, all research knowledge of Universities is mere
husk or chaff when compared to the wisdom of the Gita.

Live in the spirit of the teachings of the Gita. Mere talk and
lecture will not help you in any way. Become a practical man of
the Gita. Remember always the seven Slokas of the Gita (the
Sapta Sloki Gita). They are verse 13 of Chapter VIII, verse 36
of Chapter XI, verse 14 of Chapter XIII, verse 9 of Chapter VIII,
verse 1 of Chapter XV, verse 15 of Chapter XV and verse 34 of

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94 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Chapter IX. Also remember the Ekasloki Gita (verse 78 of
Chapter XVIII). Read the whole Gita on Sundays and other hol-
idays. Study again and again verses 54 to 72 of Chapter II
which deals with the nature of a Sthitaprajna (Jivanmukta) and
Amritashtaka verses 13 to 20 of Chapter XII.

May you all lead the life taught by the Gita! May the Gita,
the blessed Mother of the Vedas, guide you and protect you
and nourish you with the milk of the ancient wisdom of the
Upanishads! Glory to Sri Krishna, the Teacher, and Sri Vyasa,
Krishna Dvaipayana, who composed the Gita, the Poet of po-
ets! May their blessings be upon you all!

Om Peace!

1945
GITA—THE UNIVERSAL SCRIPTURE

The Gita Jayanti is one of the greatest days in the history
of mankind. Nearly six thousand years ago this day, a dazzling
flash of brilliant lightning lit up the firmament of human civilisa-
tion. This spiritual effulgence, this flash is the message of the
Gita given by the Lord Himself at Kurukshetra. Unlike ordinary
lightning which dies away immediately after flashing in the split
of a second, this brilliant flash of that memorable day continued
to shine through the centuries and even now it illuminates the
path of humanity on its onward march to perfection

The greatest gifts, the best blessing that India has con-
ferred upon the world, upon all humanity is this sublime yet em-
inently practical Universal gospel of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
The greatest thinkers and philosophers of the Occident have
vied with one another in paying their devout tribute at the shrine
of the Gita.

Holding a unique position in the sacred literature of the
world, standing unrivalled through the ages as a practical gos-
pel of Divine living, recognised on all sides as a Universal scrip-
ture par-excellence, the Gita has today come to be the strength
and solace, the constant companion and comforter, the guide,
friend and philosopher, of a vast section.

The secret of its universal appeal and acceptance lies in
the fact that the Gita does not exclude any being from receiving
its message and becoming blessed. It is entirely unsectarian
and is pre-eminently a practical gospel. It is meant for you, for
me and for every man living his ordinary life in the busy every-
day world. It has a workable message and method of attaining
Bliss and Perfection to suit every kind of temperament contain-
ing as it does the exposition of Jnana, Bhakti, Karma and Yoga.

The Gita is the gist and quintessence of all the Vedas and
the Scriptures. Wilhelm Von Humboldt, the famous occidental
scholar says, the “Bhagavad Gita is the deepest and sublimest

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96 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

production the world possesses.” Ask, You shall be given.
Seek. You shall find. Knock. It shall be open to you. This is the
unopposed quality of this scripture. You obtain access at one
stroke to the entire range of wisdom, human and Divine.

The Gospel! of the Gita is at once a rousing and inspiring
gospel that throws a flood of light upon the most vexing prob-
lems of life, lights up with bright rays of hope and assurance the
dark corners of gloom, despondency and despair, raising the
reader at once from weakness to strength, from diffidence to
robust confidence in his own infinite powers and imperishable
nature.

The bold clarion note of the second chapter hammering
into a despairing soul the idea of its essentially imperishable
and indestructible nature forms an eternal inspiring message of
courage and hope to all mankind “Behold” says the Gita to ev-
ery man. “Thou art not this perishable physical frame. Thou art
soul, art pure spirit Immortal, invulnerable, immutable, perpet-
ual, all-pervasive, stable." And subsequently the gospel of the
Gita proceeds to teach in masterly fashion various methods to
arrive at the realisation of this glorious Truth.

It has the heartening message that to realise His Divinity,
His immortal nature man is not required to become a recluse
breaking off from family and friends and holding far from the so-
ciety, that union with the Divine Self may be achieved and
maintained even in the midst of worldly work and activities that
the obstacles to this blissful union lies within us and not in ex-
ternal environment, is the central lesson of this unique and
blessed book.

To live means to fight; for all this is a battle whose
battlefield is each person's heart wherein the forces of good
and evil, the Divine and the demoniacal, purity and passion are
ceaselessly at war. The Gita symbolises the solution of the
eternal struggle between the Spiritual and material in every hu-
man being. Life is activity and none can escape either from ac-
tion or rein of duty. Therefore, wherever he be, man has to
somehow attain his goal in and through activity. Seek to secure
a victory of peace and true surrender in the midst of activity

GITA—THE UNIVERSAL SCRIPTURE 97

rather than craving for a state of external renunciation of activ-
ity. This becomes possible only when you establish yourself in
the truth that you are merely an instrument in the hands of the
Divine Indwelling in you. Unattached work, without idea of
agency and without desiring for the fruits of action becomes
Yogic activity. Then all your acts are divinised and works cease
to bind you any longer.

To efface the ego and achieve non-attachment strive to
tise above petty likes and dislikes; do not be swayed by desires
and aversions; remain unaffected by little pleasures and pains,
hopes and disappointments.

Cease to swing between extremes of the pairs of Oppo-
sites. Be balanced in everything. Follow the golden means.
These are the golden precepts of the Gita.

Lead the Divine Life while remaining in the world. Study
the Gita constantly. Root out the three evils of lust, anger and
greed. These are the very triple gates to darkness. Come out
victorious over the pairs of opposites by recognising their eva-
nescent nature and asserting your Divinity. Let the teaching of
the Gita enter your whole being. Your entire attitude towards life
will become changed. You will become a God-man with God-vi-
sion. You will no more be perturbed by success or failure, plea-
sure or pain, loss or gain. You will attain courage, strength,
peace and bliss in this very life right where you are.

Develop Divine virtues. Dedicate all your actions to the
Lord. Care not for their fruits. Think of the Lord at all times and
fight the battle of life by doing your duties well. Come out of fi-
nite self. Love and serve all. You will attain the Supreme goal of
life.

Glory to the Gita! Glory to Gitacharyal!

1946

PHILOSOPHY OF THE GITA

The Gita is the voice of God. It is the song of ancient wis-
dom. It is a greatest text-book of spiritual culture. The Gita’s
message is the message of action, love, service, sacrifice. It
contains the essence of Hinduism.

The Gita is a synthesis of religion and ethics. The Gita is a
synthesis of all Yogas. The Gita is an Upanishad, a Brahma
Vidya, a Yoga Sastra, a Samvada, the science of the Self. Itis
the crest-jewel of Mahabharata. The Gita is the best balm to
heal the wounds of the world.

The Gita is a universal gospel, which appeals to all
irrespective of age, race or religion. It has a universality which
embraces every aspect of human action, which suits and ele-
vates every stage of human development. That is the reason
why tributes to the Gita have been paid by eminent scholars of
Asia, Europe and America. Emerson, the great sage of Amer-
ica had a copy of Gita always on his table.

The Gita does not want you to flee from worldly career to
the solitude of forests. It does not bid you to hide in a cave of
the Himalayas for attaining the Supreme peace of the Eternal.
The Gita tells you to resist Adharma, to develop the divine
virtues, which will help you to attain God-consciousness and to
try to attain Self-realisation in and through the world.

The Gita gives you practical lessons to regulate your daily
life and conduct. Duty for duty's sake, action without attach-
ment and expectation of fruits, a life of discipline, regular medi-
tation, self-surrender, and sacrifice, practice of non-injury,
truthfulness and purity, cultivation of Daivi-sampat and univer-
sal love, enquiry into the nature of Supreme Self, the Reality
behind these names and forms and constant endeavour to
identify yourself with the all-pervading Consciousness or the
Immortal Soul—these are the lessons of the Gita for individuals
and the nations alike.

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PHILOSOPHY OF THE GITA 99

O man! You have been spoiled by false and wrong educa-
tion! God can neither be examined in a glass retort in the labo-
tatory of a scientist nor cut open by the surgeon’s knife. Noone
can prove God by logic. You cannot meet God without Bhakti.
You take pride through your boasted intellect that you have
proved that God does not exist. You take pride that you are
Godless. What a vain Godless man you are! You have lived in
vain, you have wasted your life. Open your eyes! Wake up from
your long slumber of ignorance now. Take refuge in the Gita
and the Gita’s Lord, Sri Krishna. Still there is hope for you. He is
all-merciful. He will bless you. Study the Gita daily and live in
the spirit of the Gita. You will soon attain eternal bliss and im-
mortality.

May Lord Krishna, the Joy of Devaki, the flute-bearer of

Brindavan, the Supreme Guru of the world, bless you all! OM
TAT SAT.

1947

CALL OF THE SUPREME

Blessed Immortal Selves!

My message to you all on this most memorable
occasion of the Gita Jayanti is—recall again the lofty message
of the great scripture, hearken to the voice of the blessed Lord,
strive to live each moment of your life in the spirit of the Gita
Sandesa. Seek to mould yourselves on the ideal presented in
verse 4 of the twelfth chapter which says: ‘Samniyamyendriya-
gramam Sarvatra Samabuddhayah....Sarvabhutahite Ratah’!
Restrain your senses perfectly, have equal vision, be ever in-
tent on the welfare and happiness of all creatures.

The Gita is not merely a book, it is not a mere scripture. It
is a living voice carrying an eternally vital and indispensable
message to mankind. Its verses embody words of wisdom,
coming from the Infinite Ocean of Knowledge-Absolute itself.

The voice of the Gita is the Call of the Supreme. It is a Di-
vine Sound explained. The mightiest primal Source of all exis-
tence, all power is the manifest sound symbol OM. It is the
Divine Word or the Sabda. It is the Nada-Brahman whose un-
ceasing call, eternal message, is “Be ye all ever merged in the
eternal unbroken continuous consciousness of the supreme
truth.” This is the sublime message that the great Gita elabo-
rates and presents in all comprehensive and universally ac-
cepted form. It is verily this message of the Bhagavad Gita that
| wish to recall and reproclaim with emphasis to you on this
great day.

To be always conscious of the Divine, to feel always the
Divine presence, to live always in the awareness of the Su-
preme being, in the Chambers of your heart and everywhere
around you, is verily to live a life of fullness and Divine Perfec-
tion, even while upon earth. Such Smaran and such Bhav will
release you for ever from the clutches of Maya and free you
from all fear. To forget the supreme is to fall into Maya. To forget

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CALL OF THE SUPREME 101

him is to be assailed by fear. To live in unbroken remembrance
of the Supreme Truth is to remain always in the region of Light,
far beyond Maya's reach.

Feel always that Flame burning brightly within your own
Self. See that Light shining through every form and face. Learn
to recognise the unmistakable Presence behind every phe-
nomenon. One who lives this way never strays away from the
Right, from Dharma. He never loses sight of the Truth. He
never falls into darkness. Such a one never utters falsehood,
for he knows the Lord as the Antaryamin dwelling in the in-
ner-most recess of his being. He never commits sin, for nothing
can be hidden from the all-pervading Lord. He ever does his
duty heroically and courageously, knowing that the real doer is
indeed the Lord who impels him to act upon this earthly stage.

Mark carefully how the Gita again and again stresses
upon this lofty message. The Lord declares, “Mayyeva Mana
Aadhatsva Mayi Buddhim Niveshaya'—(Chap. XiI-8). Keep
Thou thy mind (fixed) in Me, in Me place thy reason, too. Then
again “Tasmat Sarveshu Kaleshu Mamanusmara Yuddhyacha;
Mayyarpitamanobuddhih Maamevaishyasyasamsayam.”
Therefore, at all times remember Me alone and fight. With mind
and intellect fixed (or absorbed) in Me, thou shalt doubtlessly
come unto Me alone (Chap.VIlI-7). “Yogasthah Kuru Karmani
Sangam Tyaktva Dhananjaya." O Arjuna, perform action re-
maining united with Me in heart, mind and soul (Chap. |I-48).
The Gita guides you to glory with the watchword “Manmana
Bhava.” “Matpara.” “Matchitta." The Bhagavan bestows the fol-
lowing definite assurance through the Bhagavad Gita,
“Teshamaham Samuddharta... Mayyavesitachetasaam "
(Chap. XII-7). | become the Saviour from mortal Samsara for
them whose minds are set on Me.

Such is the most illuminating message of the Gita, seek-
ing to lead Mankind to a life of Perfection even while performing
the pre-ordained role. Long has this message been neglected
by man. Forgetting the Lord the world has turned towards
sense-indulgence and mammon, Terrible price has been paid.
Enough of this forgetfulness; for, the Lord has amply warned
man against heedlessness: “Atha Chettvamahankarat Na

102 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Shroshyasi Vinankshyasi'—lf out of egoism thou will not hear,
then thou shalt perish utterly. (Chap. XVIII-58)

My message on this memorable day is: “Hearken to this
message of the Gita. Rise in response to the Divine Call of the
Lord. Steep yourself in the sublime wisdom of the Gita daily.
Reflect upon the great lessons conveyed through it. Live in the
spirit of the Gita. Try to feel and realise the Truth now and here.
When in doubt go through the monumental works like the
Jnaneswari of Sri Jnanadev, the classic commentary of
Sankara and the like. Or again, follow the example of living
saints and sages, men of God who are verily embodiments of
the Gita ideal.

May the blessed Lord, the giver of the Gita, from whose
Divine Lips flowed forth this life-giving stream of profound wis-
dom, this day, centuries ago, shower His Grace and infuse you
with strength and power to mould your lives on the Gita ideal!
May you all be inspired this day to strive to live in the spirit of the
Gita!

1948
A SCRIPTURE FOR ALL

For anything to appeal to man more than other things of
similar nature—any particular deity, religion, name—there
should be some peculiar, unique, inherent worth in it, which
causes this attraction. There have been scriptures in all reli-
gions and in every religion some book has come to have a dis-
tinctive appeal, a treasure of some special value. The immortal
work of that great devotee, Thomas A. Kempes, has come to
be regarded as a universal scripture. Even so, amidst so many
books of the Buddhist religion “Dhammapada”. The Gita occu-
pies such a towering place above all great scriptures; and a lit-
tle reflection will show how untold treasures are there which go
to make it a gem to all Bhaktas.

Nowadays the whole of India is becoming the Gita
minded. There are great scriptures: the Upanishads, the
Bhagavata, the Ramayana, they are kept by the orthodox peo-
ple and read with great interest and devotion by great number
of people. All the Hindus keep these books for occasional read-
ing. But this little book of 700 verses is a constant companion
finding a place in the pocket of every man, however busy he
may be. How is it that the Gita has become enshrined in the
hearts of all? Most of these great scriptures are as revelations
or as expositions. They analyse, reveal, and act as expositions
to the nature of the ultimate Reality.

The Gita embodies in itself a solution, more than an expo-
sition or a revelation, more than a solution to the metaphysical
problem, to the immediately pressing problems of man. The
Gita is the compassion of the Lord who has come down from
his lofty seat to the earth plane to wipe the tears of those in sor-
row, to give encouragement to those in despair and to give a
definite promise to those who are eagerly looking up to some
saving power. The Gita embodies in itself a solution to the prob-

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104 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

lems of life and carries a wonderful message of encourage-
ment, hope, consolation, cheer and also a definite promise.
Thus it has come to be impressed on all mankind for this su-
preme utility.

Man clings to the Gita instinctively; this is only due to the
fact that it embodies the solution to all problems. Aman who is
in affluent circumstances will not worry about the question of
economy, will not seek after books that deal with the way to
wealth. The Gita deals with the problem of life itself; therefore,
every man has got this problem. There is no exception; every
man has got the problem of life and death. The Gita gives a
message to the man in misery; the Lord says, "Grief is out of
delusion, | shall show you the way out of it." Grief comes out of
your being too susceptible to the play, of the dualities, whereas
in reality you are a witness to the states. These are three quali-
ties in the field of Prakriti. You are but a witness, unaffected by
these dualities. That is the pressing problem how to escape
sorrow, The Lord gave various methods. Fear is there haunting
mankind as a spectre. The Lord, within a few beautiful and
sweet sentences once for all demolishes this terrible fear which
haunts mankind.

Death is nothing. It is the conception of death which
haunts you. As there are changes in your body—childhood,
youth, etc—death is but a natural stage of passing from one re-
ceptacle to another. Once man becomes convinced of the na-
ture of death, that death is not an annihilation or destruction,
but only a change, a wonderful strength is infused in us. This
distinction of the body in reality is only like an ordinary change
of the four seasons in the same year. This assurance that death
is nothing but a mere change, gives a great fearlessness, and
for this method of attaining to that stage—for the solution of the
problem of death, mankind has to be eternally grateful to the
Gita.

The Gita does not ask man to do anything which will be im-
possible for any of the average capacity to do. Lord says, “Even
a little of this knowledge is enough to take you away from the
great fear. Practise a little of it, then you will see how it will over-

ASCRIPTURE FOR ALL 105

come all the terrors of Samsara. | am pleased even with a little
that you do; only do it with a proper Bhav. | do not want you to
undertake gigantic processes. | want Bhav; | want the heart.
Whatever is easily possible for you, find out, and do that. | shall
fulfil it; fulfilment is in my hand."

“Patram pushpam’”... “That Bhav itself | shall transform."
When the Lord was to be weighed, when all the wealth of the
three worlds would not be of any avail, a little Tulasidala put into
the other pan at once did the trick which all other gold, silver
and ornaments were not able to do.

“| give you this assurance once you take to the right path, |
shall come running to you and take you along the path,” the
Lord says. Can there be any greater message... “As long as |
am here to uplift you there is no fear.” “I shall relieve you from all
sins." He gives a supreme command, “Fear not!" Even with a
little practice this wonderful scripture invigorates the despairing
man giving him a positive promise of salvation, makes him fear-
less. Therein lies the supreme value of the Gita. It is a solution
and it embodies a message of truth, fearlessness and encour-
agement. The practice that we are asked to do is not impossi-
ble. It is a direct appeal for divinisation of life.

Our lower nature can be characterised as impure desire,
the inherent qualities of anger, Krodha, Kama and Lobha.
These three are in man, in his lower nature. The Gita is a direct
appeal to get rid of these three and divinise the entire nature of
man. Give up these three by giving up all association...
“Sangat....." These three fundamental evil qualities manifest
themselves as various Asuric qualities that drag man down-
wards. Acquire Daivi Sampat; by doing so you will be able to
get over these. That is somewhat parallel to the creed which
the Divine Life Movement has begun to broadcast... the same
as Mahatma Gandhi's... that is to stick to Ahimsa, Satyam and
Brahmacharya. By following these three triple virtue, you will
be able to annihilate the three outstanding evils which keep you
down and thus taking the message as embodied in the Gita try
even little by little from now on, try to become images of the
message of the Gita and attain the final beatitude as promised

106 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

by the Gitacharya Bhagavan Sri Krishna ! May that Supreme
Lord, the author of the Gita bestow upon you all the final eman-
cipation from the trammels of births and deaths ! May you all
shine like dynamic Yogins and attain the Parama-dhama, the
abode of Immortality, eternal bliss and supreme peace, tread-
ing the path of the Gita !

1948
YOGA OF SYNTHESIS

Salutations to Satchidananda Para Brahman who,
through His Maya took a birth in this world for the sake of the
uplift of his children! Salutations to Arjuna, Vyasa and the great
Teachers who are responsible for preserving that Message
which Lord Krishna delivered thousands of years ago!

Gita is an inexhaustible ocean of ever-fresh nectar. Every
time you dive in it you experience an altogether new thrill, a
new refreshing vigour and strength to face Life without illusion.

In the clearest terms the Lord Himself says that this world
which is the product of Maya is Anitya (non-eternal or transi-
tory) and Asukha (unpleasant). And, “Having obtained a birth in
this transitory world of miseries, devote yourself to Me!” says
He. Again, He emphasises that His own Maya who is of the
form of the Gunas is difficult to transcend; and in the same
breath offers the only boat to cross this ocean—Prapatti or total
self-surrender.

What sort of a devotion does He lay down?

Wherever | turn, in the Gita | find a Synthesis, never a
one-sided exclusiveness.

“Manmana’—tn this one word the Lord has hinted at the
importance of Raja Yoga, or the Yoga of Patanjali, Fill the mind
with the Lord! Annihilate the Vishayakara Vritti and raise the
Brahmakara Vritti. It is only when the mind is tormented by the
Vishayakara Vrittis that man loses his balance of mind; the
blissful equanimous state of the mind is disturbed by violent os-
cillation of the mind. Misery, in truth, is only this loss of mental
equilibrium. When these Vrittis are annihilated and the mind
becomes one mass of consciousness where the Lord alone is,
there is an end of the miseries to which man is subject.

Then comes Para Bhakti which is, according to Sri
Sankaracharya, the quest of one’s own Self. This results in due

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108 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

time in the perception of one's own self within and without.
“Madbhaktah!" The Sadhaka has filled his mind with the Lord,
Now by becoming His Bhakta, he sees Him alone everywhere!
He realises the cosmic Consciousness. This dynamic Jnana
Sadhana makes the Sadhaka fearless, and free from delusion,

What does one do who has seen the Lord Or the Self
alone everywhere inside and outside? Does he merely satisfy
himself with this experience? No: for, elsewhere the Lord has
characterised such realised soul as “Sarvabhutahiteratah”
(keenly interested in the welfare of all souls). Karma Yoga is,
therefore, brought into this Rajayoga-Jnanayoga combination.
“Madyajee"! Perform all your actions for His sake. Offer all the
actions and their fruits at His Lotus-Feet as an act of sacrifice.
Work as His instrument. Abandon egoism. Embrace humility.
Know that it is His Sakti alone that works through you. For,
when the Lord withdraws that Sakti from you, what remains is
food for jackals and vultures! Glory to the Lord who carries on
His own Lila through His own manifestations!

Then, comes “Mam Namaskuru—prostrate unto Mel”
Prostration does not only mean mechanically falling flat on the
ground; the outward prostration is only a symbol which ought to
rouse up in the mind of the Sadhaka a longing to do total and
unreserved self-surrender—Atma-Nivedana—to the Lord. It is
through this total self-surrender that a Bhakta enjoys the
Madhurya-Rasa (or the Nectar of Divine Love)!

In this self-surrender alone there is Peace! In this
Atma-Nivedana alone is Joy, Bliss, Immortality and Eternal
Life!

It is such a Sadhaka who combines in the course of
Sadhana which he undertakes the Four Main Paths—Raja
Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga—that pro-
gresses by leaps and bounds and reaches the Lord soon;
“Mamevaishyasi—You reach Me alone!”

Then alone will the Sadhaka endeavour thus, when he
has set for himself the Supreme Goal of God-realisation:
"Matparayanah." Luckily, the very soil of India is laden with the
dust of the Lotus-Feet of the Lord Himself and His innumerable

YOGA OF SYNTHESIS 109

Messengers who have from time to time awakened in the In-
dian soil a love for His own culture. Hardly has one generation
in India been without its spiritual culture. Hardly has one gener-
ation in India been without its spiritual leaders: and in the co-
mity of Nations, India has always acted the role of the Spiritual
Preceptor broadcasting the Message of Selfless Service and
Universal Love throughout the world.

O children of Bharatavarsha! Awake! Hear the clarion call
of the Lord! Listen to His Sankha-Nada! From the very inner
chambers of your own heart, He will re-deliver to you the Mes-
sage of the Gita. With that as your banner, conquer the world
through Love and Service!

1949
THE ANCIENT GOSPEL TO MODERN MANKIND

The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient solution of the modern
problems too. The problems that face the human beings are
essentially the same in all periods of time, though they appear
in different dresses at different times. The greatness of the Gita
lies in that itis an integral gospel, a solution of all problems in all
their aspects, at all times, in all places and under all circum-
stances. The Gita was pronounced by the integral person, Sri
Krishna, who represented the true Being; the Gita was meant
to be an instruction to Arjuna, who represented the true man!
The problems that faced Arjuna face mankind in general; the
Gita is the answer to the universal question of life as a whole.

Social problems, political problems, and individual prob-
lems, relating to the different conditions of life, physical, intel-
lectual and spiritual, are all offshoots of certain fundamental
difficulties which appear to make existence a scene of acute
restlessness and grief. Peace, abundance and happiness
seem to be the factors which control the value of life; the lack of
these becomes the source of a severe want and a problem; the
continuous presence of these seems to overcome all forms or
sorrow. The basic error which the Gita points out that man has
committed is the absence of the knowledge of the main cause
of all kinds of problems that obstruct the establishment of one-
selfin non-intermittent, ceaseless satisfaction. The various cat-
egories of the constitution of the universe enumerated by the
Gita point to the fact that the Soul of the universe is not what is
perceived by man through his senses or thought of by his mind,
but the presupposition of conception, perception and all knowl-
edge which man professes to generate or possess. The God of
the universe is the heart thereof, the Transcendental Subject
without an object, which means that problems and difficulties
arise in objectivating the true Subject, the God within man, i.e.,
in being untrue to one’s real Self. In order to know the world

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THE ANCIENT GOSPEL TO MODERN MANKIND 4

fully, the knower must be independent of the laws governing
the world; else, knowledge complete would be impossible. One
whose knowledge is controlled by external phenomena can
never have knowledge of them. The impulse for absolute
knowledge guarantees the possibility of such a knowledge.
This shows that the knower is superior to the known to such an
extent that the known loses its value of being in the light of the
absoluteness of the knower. The Bhagavad Gita stresses on
the existence of this state of the Supreme Being to the
exclusion of everything else, in the statement “other than Me,
nathing is.”

To try to find absolute perfection in the world, therefore, is
to attempt the impossible; for, that is possible only in “attaining
Me" (in the words of Lord Krishna), in attaining, or, rather, in be-
ing the absolute knower whose knowledge is not of anything
except himself, To become Krishna is to become the Absolute
Being, where alone is perpetual peace, abundance and happi-
ness in unalloyed essence. The satisfaction found in the world
is the mind of the knower seen through the mirror of objectivity;
it is the perception of one’s idea in concrete objective forms,
though the basis of such forms is the absolute Self or the uni-
versal Soul. The repeated assertions made in the Gita to the ef-
fect that doubts, problems and worries are overcome in the
attainment of God, make it clear—that, because knowledge of
God, or attainment of God means being God, the riddle of life in
the universe with its unsurmountable vexations and annoying
experiences can be finally solved on arriving at the knowledge
that the fundamental error is the attribution of reality and self-
hood to thought-forms and that true perfection is being rooted
in the consciousness of Absolute Selfhood.

The modern man opines himself to be scientific and
strictly rational. The Bhagavad Gita warns man that science
and rational knowledge are simply laws and knowledge of the
forms of external experience which by no means are valid by
themselves. They are valid only in so far as they are related to
an experiencing phenomenal subject, but they are invalid to
noumenal subject which is the heart of even the perceived or
the known forms of experience. Experience is not prior but pos-

112 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

terior to Self-consciousness; hence all experience in the world
is the outcome of the ideas given rise by consciousness in the
capacity of the knowing subject which it essentially is. The phe-
nomenon should vanish in the Noumenon which is the
Root-existence. Until this is achieved, no problem can be
solved, no pain can be alloyed. The great modern problems are
a trifle to the wisdom of the Gita which considers worldly wis-
dom as fool's paradise.

The way of life to be lived in order to reach absolute
perfection is pointed out by the ethics of the Gita itself. It is the
calming of the passions, creative willing, the cessation of all
psychic functions, that leads to a merging in Self-conscious-
ness, where alone is the freedom from the oppression of life in
a multifarious universe, where alone is thorough and unlimited
perfection, and which alone is real knowledge, true wisdom.
The world is the special mode of the conception and the per-
ception of the Absolute by the functions of ideation or creative
imagining. The cessation of such functions is liberation from all
problems and possession of and life in infinite peace. This is
the supreme word of the Gita to all.

May you all attain the freedom which knows no bounds
and rest in peace!

1950

THE YOGA OF THE GITA

Salutations to Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Brahman,
who Paritranaya sadhunaam vinasaya cha dushkritam
Dharmasamsthapanarthaya incarnated Himself in this world of
ours.

People have often asked me for a succint analysis of the
Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita. | would say it is: “Work is Worship;
dedicate it to God." Work, not because you wish to work or to
achieve something (for, then, you would fall under the category
Ahamkaravimoodhatma kartaaham iti manyate: nor even be-
cause there is something intrinsically glorious in the work itself
(for, Kaaryate hyavasah karma sarvah prakritijair gunaih activ-
ity is inevitable here!); but because we shall, through such work
express the Will of the Lord. Even when Lord Krishna com-
manded Arjuna: “Tasmaat uddyasva Bharata,” it was not as
though He wanted Arjuna to kill, to engage himself in violent
deeds, but He wanted Arjuna to do His Will.
“Yadahankaaramasritya na yotsya iti manyse; Mithyaisha
vyavasayaste prakritistvam niyokshyati. My Sakti will compel
you to fight: therefore, fight.” Neither action nor inaction, which
has egoism as its prime mover is right action.
“Nimittahmaatram Bhava: Be thou My instrument. O Arjuna!”
says the Lord,

In a nutshell the Lord Himself has given the secret of
Gita-Yoga. “Yasya sarve samarambhah kamasankalpavarjitah;
Jnanagnidagdhakarmaanam tam-ahuh panditam budhah”:
Desireless action and motiveless service performed with the in-
ner conviction “Naiva kinchat karomi—| am not the doer; He
does everything, | am only His instrument.” This Knowledge
burns up the seeds of actions, the seeds that produce the fruits
in relation to the Jiva, the fruits that bind the Jiva to Samsara. In
this state, when one performs actions in accordance with the
techings of the Gita, “Tyaktva karmaphalasangam nityatripto

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114 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

nirasrayah; Karmanyabhiprarvritto'pi naiva kinchit karoti
sah"—even though he is ever engaged in action, he does noth-
ing, that is he is never attached to action, and therefore he is
liberated even here.

That is the secret! One who performs actions incessantly,
if he is at heart unattached to either the actions or their fruits he
does nothing; on the other hand, he who sits idle, without ap-
parently doing any action, but whose mind ever dwells on the
objects and not in the Inner Witness, the Lord calls him a hypo-
crite; even though he does nothing, he is bound!

Karmendriyani samyamya ya aaste manasa smaran;

Indriyaarthan vimudhatma mithyacharah sa uchyate.

Yastvindriyani manasa niyamyarabhate’rjuna;

Karmendriyaih karmayogam asaktah sa visishyate.

Thus during the course of His elaborate discourse to
Arjuna the Lord solved His own riddle:

Karmanyakarma yah pasyed akarmani cha karma yah;

Sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah kritsnakarmakrit.

and explained in detail the secret of action-in-inaction and
inaction-in-action. Indeed Gahana karmano gatih and none ex-
cept the Lord Himself could have explained this.

How would one who has understood the Gita-Yoga act?
He would say as Arjuna said at the conclusion of the Gita Dis-
course, “Karishye vachanam tava—| shall do Thy will.” Even
so, does the Sun-God who received this Gita-Knowledge direct
from the Lord. From Anadi-Kala till today, the Sun is carrying on
His daily duty, in strict accordance with the Will of the Lord.
Those who similarly, are rooted in the Gita-Yoga are indeed
God-men.

May you all, through the Grace of the Lord and the Gita
Acharyas, live in the spirit of the Gita and attain the Gita-Ideal of
Karma Yoga. May His blessings be upon you all. May the fol-
lowing verse be ever enshrined in your hearts:

Manmana bhava madbhakto madyajee mam namaskuru;

Mamevaishyasi yuktvaivamatmanam matparayanah.

1951
LIVE IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GITA

Blessed Immortal Self! Salutations and Prostrations to the
Supreme Parabrahman Who in His Poornavatara as Lord Sri
Krishna delivered unto Sri Arjuna the Immortal Gita; and to Sri
Vyasa who for the benefit of the future of mankind recorded it!

In the field of Kurukshetra, more than six thousand years
ago, the Lord delivered this Divine Message of His at a time
when Sri Arjuna was confronted with conflicting ideas. The
Message of the Gita cleared his mind of all doubts and gave
him inner spiritual strength to combat the opposing forces of
Adharma and made him victorious in the end.

The Message of the Gita holds good for all time. It is the
Divine Guide that leads one to perfection. Itis the quintessence
of the Vedas, the Upanishads and other Scriptures. It helps
those, who cannot understand the Vedas and the Upanishads
to clearly understand the sublime teachings of the Scriptures
and to attain Perfection.

To the present-day world it is the need of the hour. Living
amidst artificial surroundings in this age of scientific advance-
ment, man repeatedly errs and finds himself in the clutches of
Maya even though with every breath he is awakened spiritually
by the Sages and Seers. The teachings of the Gita alone can
save him from being lured to destruction by Maya.

The Gita is the Gospel to the modern mankind. It alone
can shape well the future of humanity. The more the Gita is
popularised in the present-day world the greater and more defi-
nite are the chances of establishing the Kingdom of God, of
Peace, of Love.

Nectar's Children! Every year you have met to celebrate
the Gita Jayanti with all reverence and devotion to the Su-
preme. External celebrations are but an aid to internal celebra-
tions. You should celebrate the Gita Jayanti within you,
internally. There lies Real Peace and Happiness.

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116 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

There is a war going within you between the Divine and the
undivine forces and it is this war that makes your mind restless,
that fills your mind with confusion and chaos. It places your mind
in a perplexed position like that of Sri Arjuna in the battlefield of
Kurukshetra. Your mind is Arjuna. The forces of Pandavas and
Kauravas are within you in the form of Divine and Asuric forces,
Lord Sri Krishna, too, is within you in the form of Pure Intellect.
Just as Arjuna listened to the Lord, forgetting for the time being
all chaos within his mind, so also you should, forgetting all your
troubles and tribulations, still the mind and make it listen to the
Pure Intellect, Lord Sri Krishna within. Everyone of you can
then hear the eighteen chapters of the Gita from within. Every-
one of you can then fully understand the lofty and sublime
teachings of the Vedas and the Upanishads. Everyone of you
can enjoy Infinite Peace and Eternal Bliss.

Children of the Almighty Lord! Take to the study of the
Gita. Understanding aright even a single Sloka of the Gita in full
is the true celebration of the Gita Jayanti. The best way of wor-
shipping Lord Sri Krishna for having delivered this Song Celes-
tial is to follow His Teachings contained in It.

Practise Nishkama Karma Yoga as enunciated in the Gita. It
is the best means to attain purity of heart, mind and soul. Do total
self-surrender unto His Lotus-Feet. He is always ready to wel-
come you with the Nectar of Immortal Bliss. Lord Sri Krishna re-
sides within all. Serve Him, adore Him and love Him Who is
present in all. Control the senses. Still the mind. Concentrate
upon some Slokas or theme of the Gita. Be sincere. Be ear-
nest. The Truth will dawn in your mind. You will have IIlumina-
tion. You will attain Perfection. You can enjoy the sweet Nectar
of Immortal Bliss. Infinite Peace, Eternal Bliss and Immortality
are all yours.

May Lord Sri Krishna bless you all with health, happiness,
long life, peace, prosperity and Kaivalya! May you celebrate
the Gita Jayanti by living according to its teachings!

Om Santi! Om Santi! Om Santi!

1952

GITA: THE GUIDING LIGHT

Worship Srimad Bhagavad Gita as a Holy scripture. Study
acchapter from it daily. But, stop not with that. For, the Gita is the
King among sciences. It is easy to practise. It is your guiding
light. It is Wisdom-Nectar. Enshrine the Gita in your heart. Mix it
in your blood and mingle it with your breath. Let the Gita guide
your thoughts, prompt your speech and rule your actions.

Then, the Gita will bless you with Supreme Bliss, Infinite
Immortal Life and Perfect Peace. That is the greatest prize you
have to win, by practising the Gita! it will make you desire for
nothing else. So long as you run after the little sense-plea-
sures, you will not even know what this Supreme satisfaction is.
Vihaya Kaman yah Sarvaan Puman Charati Nispruhah;
Nirmamo Nirahankarah Sa Santim Adhigachhati, Remember
this always. Become free from egoism, mineness and desires.
Then, even the greatest calamities will not affect you in the
least. This is the prize that the Lord places before you.

Come. Gird up your loins. Strive to obtain this prize. But,
how? The Lord gives you practical, wholesome guidance. You
have to work and work ceaselessly till you get this prize. Do not
waste a single moment. Be vigilant. Guard yourself against
Maya. Cultivate dynamic Vairagya. The Yoga of the Bhagavad
Gita is an art! You should be ever active; and at the same time
you should inwardly feel that you are Akarta (non-doer) and
Abhokta (non-enjoyer)! You should take a deep interest in ev-
erything; and yet you should be perfectly unattached.

Like a lotus-leaf in water, you should remain at work. Feel
that the Lord's Supreme Power does everything here; we are
all His instruments. Let your hands be ever engaged in the ser-
vice of the Lord in all. Let your mind be ever thinking of His Glo-
ties. Let your intellect discriminate aright; and, your Soul be
ever in union with the Lord. That is Yoga. A Yogi is not an idle
dreamer, an inert stone. Building castles in the air is not the

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118 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Yoga the Lord asks us to practise. The Lord of the entire uni-
verse, He Himself was ever busy in “service” to set an example
to us all to illustrate His own Divine Teachings. Beloved aspi-
rants! Give up delusion. Plunge in service.

Be regular in your morning meditation. You will under-
stand what it is to be in tune with the Infinite. You will know what
is Atma-Sukha, the Bliss of the Self. Mark well the peace and
the bliss that meditation gives you. This peace and this bliss
you should enjoy throughout the day even in the midst of the in-
tense activity. The Lord you saw in your heart during the morn-
ing meditation you should see in all faces during your day's
activities. That is Yoga. That is the Highest Prize.

The Lord who is seated in your own heart, as the very Life
of your life, pervades the entire universe as the Soul of every-
thing. Therefore, serve all, so that this realisation will enter ev-
ery cell of your being. Nothing exists but He (Vasudevah
Sarvam)! Love all so that you might become One with Him in
that Supreme Devotion (Para Bhakti).

Abandon all thoughts of your body, mind and senses.
Take refuge in That Supreme Cosmic Being. He will liberate
you here and now. Fear not.

Let your mind ever dwell upon Him; see Him alone in ev-
erything. Be devoted to Him alone, know that you love Him in
all. Serve the Lord in all. Bow to that Almighty Lord who per-
vades every creature in the universe. You are freed from fear
and grief, misery and sorrow, now. You will undoubtedly reach
Him in this very birth. You will become a Jivanmukta here and
now.

May the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna be upon you all!
May you all shine as Sthitaprajnas in this very birth!

1953

PLENITUDE: THE LAW OF LIFE

Children of Light!

Peace be to you all! May the divine light illumine your ef-
forts and may success attend upon your aspirations for Truth!

The Bhagavad Gita is a sermon on the nature of Truth and
on the characteristic of the aspirations and efforts that lead to the
experience of Truth. Truly it is said to be the cream of the
Upanishads, and is itself termed as the Upanishad. It is a gospel
of the science of Reality, the art of Yoga, the philosophy of life, the
religion of man. In itis summed up the great teaching on the pro-
cess of the return of man to God, the sinking of the part in the
Whole, the expansion of the individual into the Plenum of Wis-
dom and Felicity, the Bliss that is undying. Lord Sri Krishna ut-
tered it, and Sri Vyasa wrote it—what a grand combination!
Two direct representatives of the highest spiritual realisation
and experience have joined their spirits in it! Knowledge and
Power coalesce and eternal beatitude becomes the result. To
attain this man has to first be burnished, and for this he has to
pass through the fire of Yoga.

Lord Sri Krishna, the Yogi par excellence, gives out the
scripture of the Yogi, the kingly secret, Brahma-Vidya. “When
one sees the separate existence of all beings as rooted in the
One, and spreading from That alone, he, then, becomes Brah-
man” (XIII. 30). The whole technique of the practice of Yoga, of
spiritual effort, is given here. It is not what one does with one’s
body, but what one thinks and feels with one’s internal con-
scious instruments that determines the character of an individ-
ual. Physical action becomes the spontaneous expression of
the cosmic vibration which throbs and pulsates in all beings,
when the rootedness of the variety of manifestation in the Gen-
eral Ground Imperishable is directly recognised in non-mediate
intuitional experience. Contradiction, discrepancy, error, ugli-
ness, disharmony and such flagrant presentations which ap-

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120 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

parently negative the organised unity and harmony of the
universe are realised to be necessary and non-contradictory
phase of the development of the part-consciousness towards
its establishment in infinite Selfhood. Towards this man is ex-
pected to endeavour. Modern man possesses all material com-
forts, he knows how to fly like a bird and swim like a fish; but he
has yet to learn how to balance and act like a man, though in
him is hidden the sense of perfection. It is in man that the efful-
gence of Truth begins to show its head. It is up to him to make
use of it in his ascent to universality of experience, in his daily
life here on earth in relation to his other brethren that inhabit
this very space-time order. For this he has to know his true po-
sition as a man.

There is here in the universe a mysterious connection
among things, which is more than the causal one familiar to the
mechanistic philosophies. Nor does the theory of finalism solve
the riddle of universal interdependence. The relation of God and
man is not merely a mechanical one. Not even the attempt to ex-
plain it through resort to ultimate ends or purposes can suffice in
envisaging this trans-empirical phenomenon. The law of causa-
tion and the method of arguing in a straight line hold good only in
the world of sensory-experience. Logic and the rules of reason
are very good, and, perhaps, the only reliable aid in one's correct
apprehension of the external world bound up in a space-time con-
tinuum. But these methods are a miserable failure in their
endeavour to fathom the nature of the tremendous relation that is
between a part and the organic Whole to which the part belongs.
Any given situation in the universe is a mirror in which the condi-
tion of the whole universe is reflected. A part stands for the order
of the Whole, which shows that in understanding and acting, man,
to be really wise, should consider the entire situation of the uni-
verse, the true relation that one has with the others in the environ-
ment of the cosmos.

This fact is stressed by the Bhagavad Gita in its emphasis
on Buddhi Yoga and its admonition to fix action in knowledge.
The knowledge of the One in the many and the many in the
One, which the Bhagavad Gita regards as the highest peak in
the range of experience and which can be reached only

PLENITUDE: THE LAW OF LIFE 121

through intuition and not through the intellect, as an all-compre-
hensive act of simultaneously grasping in one's consciousness
the entire content of existence. Itis not the mathematical way of
reasoning which the intellect follows but unswerving faith in the
Supreme Being that leads to this state of omniscience. When
this knowledge supports our actions, we become Karma-
Yogins. When our actions find themselves in this knowledge,
we become Jnana-Yogins. When we are attracted to this
knowledge and love it by our having an instinct towards it, we
are said to be Bhakti-Yogins. The Bhagavad Gita speaks from
all standpoints, for it is the articulate expression of the Integral
Whole, Lord Sri Krishna, who was the essence of wisdom, a
many-sided personality of variegated activity, a great Yogi and
a centre of boundless love. He has to be taken as the perfect
pattern for all to emulate, a veritable embodiment of the spirit of
the Bhagavad Gita.

The eye of man blinded by material forces beholds not the
truth of things. Political, economical, cultural and religious ac-
tivity should be based on the supreme and irrefutable fact of the
necessity for man to evolve inte higher and higher forms of
Self-integration until its absoluteness is reached. Without this
undercurrent of consciousness, life becomes barren and is not
worth its name. If this is forgotten in life, all activity becomes
meaningless and even suicide. Pain is the result of paying a
deaf ear to this eternal call of Absolute Unity in the Spiritual Re-
ality. Suffering can be avoided only when what one does is in
consonance with the law of truth Absolute.

O man! Open your eyes and look at your folly! You have
been searching for peace and abundance, but in the wrong
way, with the consequence that you do not have them. Re-
member that you have to embrace for this, the entire manifes-
tation in the gamut of your life, and that you are moving towards
it. When you know it and according to this having knowledge,
you become a Yogi, and a real student of the Bhagavad Gita.
Launch yourself from this day in a sincere effort to follow the
true spirit of this universal gospel and practise its teachings for
bringing peace not only to yourself but to the universe at large.

1954

PURNA BRAHMA YOGA

Seekers of Truth,

May the Lord bless you all! May the auspicious Gita
Jayanti Celebrations open to you a new phase of spiritual life.
May these celebrations be an occasion for the rejoicing of the
Inner Spirit in the remembrance of the Eternal Lord Sri Krishna.
For, this is the supreme blessing which man here can hope for.

The Bhagavad Gita appeals to the entire being of man. It
is the gospel of Purna-Brahma Yoga—the Yoga of the contact
of the soul with the Eternal, the way of the realisation of the
Highest Self which is immanentin the universe and is transcen-
dent truth reigning supreme beyond the realm of sense and
understanding. To bring about the immanence of the transcen-
dent, to transform human activity into Yogic discipline, to make
life a continuous process of contemplation on the Divine Being
is the avowed ideal of the Bhagavad Gita. The basis of action in
life should be the truth declared by the Lord: “There is nothing
higher than |; everything is strung on Me as beads on a thread"
(VIl-7). Man lives, moves, and has his being in God, and to re-
tain this consciousness during the performance of duties in-
cumbent on him in this world is the art which the Bhagavad Gita
teaches him in various ways. And this is the Yoga of the
Bhagavad Gita: To have one's feet planted upon the earth and
the head fixed in the heavens Sri Krishna Himself exemplifies
in His life the conduct of the paragon of a Yogi. To practise the
Bhagavad Gita Yoga is to emulate the life of Sri Krishna.

The unique feature of this Yoga is that it is a technique
which overhauls all sides of the human personality, and the
pursuit of any aspect of this Yoga, fully and correctly, means a
parallel advancement along all the other aspects, also. The
Lord expects every man to be able to fulfil the demands of the
conditions to which the individuality of man is subject, by resort
to the trans-empirical reality underlying the individuality. The

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PURNA BRAHMA YOGA, 123

Yogi par excellence is he who, ever united with the Eternal
Krishna within, lives as a normal man, working in the world for
the good of all, doing Lokasangraha, guiding the ignorant and
the undeveloped along the path to perfection. The true Yogiis a
child with a child, a youth with a youth and aged one with the
aged, wise with the wise, jolly with the jolly. He pities the dis-
tressed, serves the suffering and the needy; Is friendly with the
fortunate and happy with the virtuous. He is not affected by the
conduct of others; nor do others shrink away from him. Sri
Krishna exhorts man to learn to be friendly with the universe,
for itis the body of God. All the diversity should be known to be
grounded in Unity, as having proceeded from Unity (XIII-30),
When this knowledge comes to man, he gets freed from the no-
tion of the separation of the self from other forms of existence,
and considers his good and others' good as one. The individ-
ual, social, national and universal good mean to such a person
one and the same thing, for the truly good cannot differ from
person to person, though there may be stages of good in accor-
dance with the degrees of the unfoldment of consciousness.
The relative should conform to the Absolute, though the rela-
tive is other than the Absolute in the characteristics it mani-
fests. Man should live in obedience to the law and justice of
God. This kind of living is Yoga.

Man! Do not be led astray by the false idea that religion
and Yoga are queer things unconnected with normal healthy
life on earth. This misconception arises because you have no
knowledge of your true relation to God and the universe. You
think that you are like a pebble in a vast shore, different from
other pebbles. No, you are rather a part of a living organism
which exists and works for the good of the organism, and this
organism is the universe. As a cell in the human body cannot
be healthy unless the body as a whole is healthy, so you cannot
hope to reach fulfilment and blessedness unless you work for
universal fulfilment or the universal good. This is the inner
meaning of Sri Krishna's assertion: "Come to Me alone”; for Sri
Krishna speaks here as the Cosmic Man, It means that man
should aspire to become a superman, to reach the
consummation of his being in Universal Life. Until a total sacri-

124 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

fice of the ego and personality at the altar of the omnipresent
Krishna is offered, man shall remain a man, what he is in bodily
confinement.

Yoga is the science of right living. It has nothing to do with
any religious belief, traditional faith, colour, vocation or clime.
Yoga is neither Eastern nor Wester; it is of the world, of hu-
manity in general. Krishna is not merely a Hindu God; He is the
representative of the Inner Reality which is in all without differ-
ence. The Bhagavad Gita is not merely an Aryan scripture, but
the gospel of divine life. It is the scripture of the Yogi, and a Yogi
one can be in every walk of life, at every step and stage; for
Yoga admits of degrees. Even one who aspires for Yoga is be-
yond the ordinary rules of human conduct and religious prac-
tices (VI-44), To become wider and deeper, more inclusive in
one's being and consciousness, is the aim of Yoga; and this is
the goal of human life.

May the Gita Jayanti Celebrations herald in you all the rise
of a consciousness of the Universal Yoga of the Bhagavad
Gita. May you all recognise the Presence of the
Antaryamin-Isvara, and strive to install Him in the temples of
your hearts. May the Bhagavad Gita find in you a moving com-
mentary on it! May you all attain success in your endeavours to-
wards God-realisation!

Om Tat Sat!

1955

INDIA’S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD OF TODAY

Salutations to Lord Krishna, the Eternal Light of Wisdom!

\f at any time the world needed the Message of the
Bhagavad Gita, itis now. With humanity at the cross-roads and
India free, independent and wise, the Gita-Drama is re-enacted
on this world-stage now! India has to assume the role of Lord
Krishna and enlighten mankind.

Forces of darkness—pride, selfishness, greed and lust for
power, prestige and position—these assail mankind, cloud its
vision, confuse its intelligence, and lead to its self-destruction.
With the enormity of advance that science has achieved today,
war inevitably would mean terrible destruction: destruction not
only of those who cause the war and thus invite it upon them-
selves, but even those who are completely innocent of it.

What is the Message that Sri Krishna would give the world
now? “Stand up. O, Man!" the Lord would say: “gird up your
loins! Yield not to impotence. Ruthlessly slay these inner ene-
mies of peace. Lust, anger, greed are the three sure ways to
tuin. Itis by renouncing them, by renouncing all desires, and by
loving all beings and working for the welfare of all beings, that
you can acquire Eternal Life, Perennial Peace, and Unfading
Bliss.”

There is no enemy outside you! Turn your gaze within.
This mysterious mind, the most potent instrument in the hands
of Maya, the power that deludes all, is your worst enemy. Your
battle is not with this nation or that, this community or that, this
religion or that, but with this inner enemy. Get up, then, and ap-
ply yourself to the task of conquering this enemy, the mind.
Once it is purified and brought under your complete control, it
will become your best friend. You will enjoy peace and you will
radiate peace. The leaders of all nations should first acquire
this inward peace and then alone will they be able to radiate
peace, work for peace and establish peace on earth.

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126 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

There is nothing like selfless service of humanity to purify
the mind, Selfless service is the great talisman that will instantly
drive out of the mind all negative thoughts and tendencies. If
one serves humanity selflessly, without expecting to be re-
warded for his service, without being attached to the service,
knowing that it is the Lord that works through him and that he is
only an instrument in His Hands, there is no doubt that here and
now, this very instant, he will be enlightened and liberated. This
is the bold declaration of the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita.

May you all practise the Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita and
roam about as Sthithaprajnas and Jivanmuktas in this very
birth, nay, this very second.

May there be peace on earth!

1956

THE GOSPEL OF KARMA YOGA

Seekers of Truth,

The Bhagavad Gita is the message of the Supreme Sover-
eign of the universe to all mankind, intended to rouse the slumber-
ing consciousness to the magnificent heights of Divine Splendour
and Glory. The trouble of man is in his erroneous notions in regard
to his relations to the Supreme Principle that exists as the very vi-
tality and life of all phenomenal beings. The Bhagavad Gita voices
forth the great truth that, second to the Divine Essence, there is
nothing anywhere to be found (VII. 7). If this is the truth, if the God
of humanity is the God of the world, if He is immanent in all things,
being at the same time transcendent, then, the substance of our
existence, the material of our objects of perception, the knowl-
edge that we have of things, should be inseparable from the UI-
timate Reality. Man's selfish life, then, loses its support, and by
forgetting its own inner substance, it cuts the ground from un-
der its own feet.

No person can really afford to lead happily a completely
selfish life, for this is contrary to the law of the attainment of per-
manent happiness. Selfishness, though it is directed to the ob-
taining of happiness, cannot bring happiness, for it, while
seeking happiness, really turns away from the source of happi-
ness. Human activity is a dramatic display of the struggle of the
individual for the acquisition of unceasing happiness, but as
this struggle, this endeavour, is shot through with belief in
things that perish, faith in the reality of the independence of the
human personality, and an implied neglect of the eternal Pres-
ence of the Divine in all things, it is doomed to failure. Sri
Krishna exhorts Arjuna to be careful to see that action is rooted
in the Yoga of the higher purified understanding, the knowledge
that is not heedless towards the recognition of the supremacy
of the Absolute over all doers, deeds and results of deeds. The
Karma Yogi bears in mind that experiences of individuals are

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128 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

relative to particularities, and the ultimate worth or value of any
experience can be known and realised only in the Universal
Consciousness of which all are but parts. The benefits that one
enjoys in life are the products of cooperative action on the part
of all individuals of the universe, put together, and he who tries
to appropriate things for his own individual satisfaction is a veri-
table thief (III. 12). Man is not estranged from his environment.
He is as much influenced by outward circumstances as he con-
tributes to condition them in relation to himself. The individual,
the family, the society, the nation and the world are all gradually
and progressively arranged fields of the pervasion and activity
of consciousness, where it becomes wider and wider until it
grasps the whole universe within its comprehension and gets
absorbed in the reality of its own Higher Self. Everyone of these
stages should become a field for the dynamic practice of Yoga,
in different degrees, and every act should become a contem-
plation of the Divine Being.

The Bhagavad Gita as a gospel of Karma Yoga points out to
man the right attitude that he should develop towards actions and
things. Anasakti, non-attachment, is the watchword of the Di-
vine Teacher. Vairagya and Abhyasa—not to be attached to the
things of the world, and to be ever in a state of contemplation of
the Eternal in and through life—is the ideal of Karma Yoga. Act
one must; there is no escaping from action. For the very law of
empirical life is action. But the dexterity, the Kausalam, of the
Yogi lies in his being able to convert action into Yoga. The great
skill in action which Sri Krishna speaks of has its foundations in
Samatva or equanimity which is identified with Yoga itself. The
individual agent, in this Yoga, regards himself as an instrument
in the Infinite Hands of the Supreme Lord and works in this
world as a pointer on the dial of a watch moves being worked
from within by the controlling mechanism, the only special fea-
ture in the case of the Karma Yogi being the maintenance, on
his part, of the consciousness of non-attachment and of the
all-pervasiveness of the Divine while the indicator of a watch
has no consciousness of the mechanism behind it. Effort has to
be transformed into a spontaneous movement of the Universal
Consciousness. Then all activity becomes Yoga: even bodily

THE GOSPEL OF KARMA YOGA 129

functions, natural actions and vital processes become parts of the
universal evolution. The incubus of pain lands itself on the head of
the ordinary man of action, because he acts with the false idea
that he is sharply cut off from his environment, that he is an iso-
lated individual content of a vast universe which lies outside of
him. God, to the common mind, is an ideal possibility, a destina-
tion to be reached in the future. But to the enlightened aspirant af-
ter perfection, God is an actuality, the sum and substance of all life
and meaning, the reality that sustains the very breath of the uni-
verse. Here lies the difficulty in practising Karma Yoga, that it de-
mands of the Yogi an inner attitude of detachment from dualistic
appearances, and a persistent attempt to visualise the One in the
many in everyday life. Itis not | that do, but it is the One that does.
Itis not 'l’ that exist, but itis the One that is. The sense of the ‘I’
vanishes in the practice of the technique of Karma Yoga. Itis a
calm, subdued, well thought-out intelligent, adjustment of one-
self to the general situation of the universe as a whole, without
yielding to the tyranny of the senses and the ego, freeing one-
self from the tangle of likes and dislikes, greed and anger, that
constitutes the pith of the Karma Yoga that is taught in the
Bhagavad Gita.

This Yoga is the great need of the hour. There is no forced
retirement from action, but there is only a discovery of the truth
of action, the deeper significance of human life, a rank neglect
of which has resulted in the maladies that are surrounding man
from all sides today. Equanimity even in the midst of disturbing
activity, Yoga in daily life, is possible when man recognises that
the universe is a living organism, every element of which per-
force tends to and does fulfil the unitary law of the organism.
The duty of everyone, then, is not to forget this fact of one's be-
ing an integral part of this great Organism, which is but the out-
ward manifestation of God Himself, and to work in loyalty to it,
to the best of one's knowledge and ability. The prosperity of the
world is thus ensured by the Bhagavad Gita way of life. Man!
Open your eyes. Act with this knowledge, and with this obedi-
ence, You are saved.

Bhagavad Gita
for
Busy People

FOREWORD

Life is very complex in these days. The struggle for exis-
tence is very keen. Man finds no time to study big philosophical
and religious books, or the whole of the Gita. Here is an
abridged edition of the Gita which contains its quintessence for
the use of students, doctors, advocates and busy people.

That man who merely studies daily even a few Slokas is
not stained by Karma. He obtains perfect wisdom, Supreme
Peace and eternal Bliss and Immortality. Then what to speak of
him who lives and acts according to the spirit of the teachings of
the Gita?

He who reads even a quarter of a Sloka is freed from great
sins and fear of death.

The Gita is your benefactor and constant companion. The
Gita is your Teacher and Guru. The Gita is your real Father and
Mother. The Gita is your solace, support and prop. The Gita is
an embodiment of nectar. Drink this nectar daily and attain Im-
mortality. May the Gita guide you!

CHAPTER |
The Despondency of Arjuna
(Arjuna Vishada Yoga)

This is the Yoga of the despondency of Arjuna. Arjuna saw
all his. kinsmen, sons, brothers-in-law, cousins, teachers
(Bhishma, Drona and others) standing arrayed in battle and
said to Lord Krishna (26): “My limbs fail and my mouth is
parched, my body quivers and my hairs stand on end; Gandiva
slips from my hand (29). | do not wish to kill them even for the
sake of the Kingship of the three worlds (35). It is a great sin to
kill my teachers and relatives. If | kill them, family traditions will
perish. There will be lawlessness (40), Women will become
corrupt. There will be caste-confusion. The slayer of the fami-
lies will go to hell for, their ancestors will fall, deprived of
rice-balls and oblations (42). Caste-customs and family-cus-
toms will vanish” (43), Arjuna was overwhelmed with grief. He

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134 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

threw away his bow and arrows and sank down on the seat of
the chariot (47).

CHAPTER II
Sankhya Yoga

This is Jnana Yoga or Vedanta which bespeaks of the Im-
mortality of the Soul. Lord Krishna said to Arjuna: “Wake up
from the slumber of ignorance. This body and the world are in-
dwelt by the Imperishable Atman, Brahman or the Soul. None
can cause the destruction of That—the Imperishable. This At-
man is not born nor does It ever die. It is unborn, eternal,
changeless, ancient and inexhaustible. It is not killed when the
body is killed (20). It slays not, nor is It slain. Just as a man
casts off worn out clothes and puts on new ones, so also the
embodied Self casts off worn out bodies and enters others
which are new (22). Weapons cut It not, fire burns It not, water
wets It not, wind dries It not (23). This Self is unmanifested, un-
thinkable and unchangeable (24).

“O Arjuna! do your duty. It is the duty of a Kshatriya to fight.
There is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war
(31). Develop a balanced mind. Having made pleasure and
pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat the same, engage thou
in battle, thus thou shalt not incur sin; thou shalt cast off the
bonds of action (38).

“Thy right is to work only but never with its fruits. Let not
the fruit of action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be for in-
action (47). Perform action, being steadfast in Yoga abandon-
ing attachment and balanced in success and failure. Evenness
of mind is Yoga” (48). Arjuna says, "O Lord Krishna! Whatis the
state of a Sthithaprajna? How does he speak? How does he sit,
how does he walk?” (54). Lord Krishna replies, “A Jivanmukta
is free from desires, longings, mine-ness, |-ness, attachment
and fear. He is satisfied in his own Self. He is indifferent amidst
sensual pleasures. He is not elated by getting desirable ob-
jects. He has a poised mind at all times and under all condi-
tions. He has perfect control over his mind and senses. He lives
in Brahman. He is centred in his own Self. He is dead to the
sensual world” (55 to 57).

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 135

CHAPTER III
The Yoga of Action
(Karma Yoga)

Arjuna said, “If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is su-
perior to action, why then O Krishna, does Thou engagest me
in this terrible action (1)? Thou confusest my understanding.
Tell me that one way for certain by which | may attain eternal
bliss” (2). Lord Krishna replies, “In this world there is a twofold
path, the path of knowledge of the Sankhyas and the path of
action of the Yogins (3). Man cannot remain even for a moment
without performing some kind of action. Everyone is helplessly
driven to action by the qualities born of nature (5). That fool,
who merely controls the organs of action but continually thinks
of the objects of senses is called a Mithyachara or hypocrite
(6).

“Do sacrifice to the Devatas. They will in turn give you
plenty of food and cattle (11). Constantly perform your duty
without attachment. You will attain the Supreme (19). Janaka
attained perfection by action (20). The great man should set an
example to the world (21). | perform action though there is
nothing in the three worlds that should be done by Me (22).

“The egoistic man thinks ‘| am the doer’. In reality Prakriti
does everything (27). A Jnani who remains as a silent witness
and who knows the essence of the division of the quality and
functions is not bound (28).

“Control Raga-dvesha, obstructors of the spiritual path.
Do your own duty well. Control desire and anger—the enemies
of wisdom. Master first the senses. Kill this enemy-desire by re-
straining the self by the Self and by knowing Him who is
superior to intellect” (37-43).

CHAPTER IV
The Yoga of Wisdom
(Jnana-Vibhaga Yoga)

Lord Krishna said, “O Bharata! Whenever righteousness
declines and unrighteousness becomes powerful, then | Myself

136 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

come to birth (7). For the protection of the good, for the destruc-
tion of evil-doers, for the sake of firmly establishing righteous-
ness | am born from age to age (8). In whatever way men
approach Me, so do | reward them: men follow in every way My
path, O son of Pritha (11). He who sees inaction in action and
action in inaction, he is wise among men, he is a Yogi, even
while performing all actions (18). Whose undertakings are all
destitute of desires and purposes and whose actions have
been burnt by the fire of knowledge him the wise have called a
Sage (19).

“Without hope, with the mind self-controlled, having aban-
doned attachment to the fruit of actions, all greed and envy, al-
ways content with whatsoever he obtains without effort, free
from the pairs of opposites, balanced in success and failure,
with his thoughts established in Brahman, he is not doing any-
thing, although doing actions; he is not bound, though acting
(20-23).

“Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the clarified butter;
by Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman;
Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always sees
Brahman in action (24).

“Some Yogins perform sacrifice to Devas; while the
Jivanmuktas offer the Self in the fire Brahman. Some again of-
fer hearing and other senses in the fire of restraint. Others
again sacrifice all the functions of the senses and the breath in
the fire of Yoga of self-restraint kindled by knowledge. Others
again offer wealth, austerity, study of scriptures and knowledge
as sacrifice. Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the
incoming and the incoming in the outgoing (25-29).

“Superior is knowledge-sacrifice to the sacrifice of ob-
jects. All actions in their entirety, O Partha, culminate in knowl-
edge (33).

“Know that by long prostration, by question and service;
the wise who have realised the Truth will instruct thee in that
knowledge (34). Even if thou art the most sinful of all sinners,
yet thou shalt verily cross all sins by the raft of knowledge (39).

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 137

Just as the blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so
does the fire of knowledge reduce all actions to ashes (37).

“The man who is full of faith, who is devoted to it, and who
has subdued the senses and obtains this knowledge and hav-
ing obtained knowledge he goes at once to the Supreme Peace
(39). The ignorant, the faithless, the doubting self goes to de-
struction; there is neither this world, nor the other, nor happi-
ness for the doubting (40).

“Therefore, with the sword of knowledge cut asunder the
doubt of the Self born of ignorance, residing in the heart and
take refuge in Yoga. Arise, O Bharata” (42).

CHAPTER V
The Yoga of Renunciation of Action
(Karma-Sannyasa Yoga)

Arjuna said, “Renunciation of actions, O Krishna, Thou
praisest, and then also Yoga, Tell me conclusively that which is
the better of the two” (1).

The Blessed Lord said, “Renunciation and Yoga of action
both lead to the highest bliss; but out of the two, Yoga of action
is superior to the renunciation of action (2). Children, not the
wise, speak of Sankhya (knowledge) and Yoga (Yoga of action)
as distinct; he who is truly established in one obtains the fruits
of both (4). That place which is reached by the Sankhyas
(Jnanis) is reached by the Yogis (Karma Yogis). He sees, who
sees Sankhya and Yoga are one (5).

““| do nothing at all’, thus would the knower of Truth think-
—seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping,
breathing, speaking, letting go, seizing, opening and closing
the eyes—convinced that the senses move among the
sense-objects (8-9), Neither agency nor action does the Lord
create for the world, nor union with the fruits of actions. Butitis
Nature that acts (14).

“Thinking of That, merged in That, established in That,
solely devoted to That, they go whence there is no return, their
sins dispelled by knowledge (17).

138 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

“Sages look with an equal eye ina Brahmin endowed with
learning and humility, in a cow, in an elephant, and even in a
dog and in an outcaste (13). With the self unattached to exter-
nal contacts he finds bliss in the Self: with the self engaged in
the meditation of Brahman he attains endless bliss (21). The
enjoyments that are born of contacts are only generators of
pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O son of Kunti (O.
Kaunteya); the wise do not rejoice in them (22).

“He who is able, while still in the world, to withstand before
the liberation from the body the impulse born out of desire and
anger, he is a Yogi, he is a happy man (23).

“Eternal peace lies near to those controlled ascetics who
are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their
thoughts and who have realised the Self (26).

“Shutting out all external contacts and fixing the gaze be-
tween the eyebrows, equalising the outgoing and. incoming
breaths moving within the nostrils, with senses, mind and intel-
lect ever controlled, having liberation as his supreme goal, free
from desire, fear and anger—the sage is verily liberated for
ever" (27-28).

CHAPTER VI
The Yoga of Meditation
(Adhyatma Yoga)

Lord Krishna said, “He who performs his bounden duty
without depending on the fruits of action—he is a Sannyasin
and a Yogi; not he who is without fire and without action (1). For
a Muni or a sage who wishes to attain to Yoga, action is said to
be the means; for the same sage who has attained to Yoga, in-
action or quiescence is said to be the means (3).

“Let a man lift himself by his own Self alone, let him not
lower himself, for the Self alone is the friend of oneself and this
Self alone is the enemy of oneself (5). The Self is the friend of
the self for him who has conquered himself by the Self, but to
the unconquered self, this self stands in the position of an en-
emy like the external foe (6).

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 139

“Having in a clear spot established a firm seat of his own,
neither too high nor too low, made of a cloth, a skin and Kusa
grass one over the other, let him firmly hold his body, head and
neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking
around, serene-minded fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahma-
chari, having controlled the mind, thinking on Me, and bal-
anced, let him sit, having Me as the Supreme Goal (11-14).

“Verily Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor
for him who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much
nor for him who is always wakeful, O Arjuna (16).

“Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is mad-
erate in eating and recreation, who is moderate in exertion in
actions, who is moderate in sleep and wakefulness (17). Little
by little let him attain quietude by intellect held in firmness; hav-
ing made the mind established in the Self, let him not think of
anything (25). From whatever cause the restless and unsteady
mind wanders away, from that let him restrain it and bring it un-
der the control of the self alone (26).

“With the mind harmonised by Yoga he sees the Self,
abiding in all beings, and all beings in the Self, he sees the
same everywhere (29). He who sees Me everywhere and sees
everything in Me, he never becomes separated from Me, nor
do | become separated from him" (30).

Arjuna said, “The mind verily, O Krishna, restless, turbu-
lent, strong and unyielding, | deem it quite as difficult to control
it as the wind" (34).

Lord Krishna said, “Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed, the
mind is difficult to control and restless, but by practice, O
Kaunteya and by dispassion, it can be restrained” (35).

Arjuna said, “He who is unable to control himself though
he is possessed of faith, whose mind wanders away from Yoga,
what end does he, having failed to attain perfection in Yoga
meet, O Krishna?” (37).

The blessed Lord said, “Having attained to the worlds of
the righteous and having dwelt there for everlasting years, he
who fell from Yoga is reborn in a house of the pure and wealthy
(41). Or he is born in a family of wise Yogins only; verily a birth

140 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

like this is very difficult to obtain in this world (42). Then he co-
mes in touch with the knowledge acquired in his former body
and strives more than before for perfection, O son of the Kurus
(43). By that very former practice he is born on in spite of him-
self. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goes beyond
the Brahmic world (44).

“The Yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics and
even superior to men of knowledge (obtained through study of
Sastras); he is also superior to men of action; therefore, be
thou a Yogi, O Arjuna! (46). And among all Yogins, he who, full
of faith with his inner self merged in Me, worships Me, he is
deemed by Me to be the most devout (47).

CHAPTER VII
The Yoga of Wisdom

(Jnana Yoga)

The Blessed Lord said, “| shall declare to thee in full this
knowledge combined with realisation, which being known,
nothing here remains to be known (2). Among thousands of
men, one perchance strives for perfection; even among those
successful strivers, only one perchance knows Me in essence
(3).

“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, egoism—thus
is My Prakriti divided eightfold (4). This is the inferior Prakriti,
but different from it, know thou, O mighty-armed, My higher
Prakriti, the very life-element, by which this world is upheld (5).

“lam the sapidity in waters, O son of Kunti. | am the light in
the moon, and the sun; | am the syllable OM in all the Vedas,
sound in ether and virility in men (8).

“Verily, this divine illusion of Mine, caused by the qualities
is difficult to cross over; those who take refuge in Me alone
cross over this illusion (14).

“Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me O Arjuna, and
they are the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of
wealth and the wise, O lord of Bharatas (16). Of these, the
wise, ever steadfast and devoted to the One excels; for | am ex-
ceedingly dear to the wise, and he is dear to Me (17). Noble in-

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 141

deed are all these; but the wise man, | deem as My very Self,
for, steadfast in mind he is established in Me alone, as the Su-
preme Goal (18), At the end of many births the wise man co-
mes to Me, realising that all this is Vasudeva, the innermost
Self, such a great soul is very hard to find (19).

“By the delusion of the pairs of opposites, arising from de-
sire and aversion (likes and dislikes) O Bharata, all beings are
subject to illusion, O Parantapa (scorcher of foes) (27). But
those men of pure deeds, whose sin has come to an end, who
are freed from the delusion of the pairs of opposites, worship
Me, steadfast in vows (23).

“Those who know Me in the Adhibhuta (pertaining to the
elements) in the Adhidaiva (pertaining to the gods) and in the
Adhiyajna (pertaining to the sacrifice), know Me even at the
time of death, steadfast in mind” (30).

CHAPTER VIII
The Yoga of Imperishable Brahman
(Akshara Brahma Yoga)

Arjuna asked: “Whatis that Brahman? What is Self-knowl-
edge? What is action, O Purushottama? What is declared to be
the knowledge of the elements? And, what is Adhidaiva? (1).
Who and how is Adhiyajna here in this body, O Madhusudana
(destroyer of Madhu)? And how at the time of death, art Thou to
be known by the self-controlled?" (2).

The Blessed Lord said: “Brahman is the Imperishable, the
Supreme; His essential nature is called self-knowledge; the of-
fering to gods which causes the origin, existence and manifes-
tation of beings and also sustains them is called action (3).
Adhibhuta or knowledge of the elements pertains to My perish-
able nature and the Purusha or the Soul is Adhidaivata; | alone
am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best of the embodied (4).

“Whosoever, leaving the body, goes forth remembering
Me alone at the time of death, he attains My Being; there is no
doubt about this (5). Whosoever at the end leaves the body,
thinking upon any being, to that being alone he goes, O

142 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Kaunteya (O son of Kunti), because of his constant thought of
that being (6).

“Having closed all the gates, having confined mind in the
heart, having fixed the life-breath in the head, engaged in the
practice of concentration, uttering the one-syllabled Om, the
Brahman, and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the
body, attains the Supreme Soul (12-13).

“| am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who
constantly remembers Me, daily, not thinking of another (with a
single mind) O Partha! (14). What is called the unmanifested
and Imperishable, That, they say is the highest goal (path).
They who reach It return not. That is My highest abode (place
or state) (20).

“That Highest Purusha, O Partha, is attainable by un-
swerving devotion to Him alone, within Whom all beings dwell,
by Whom all this is pervaded (22).

“Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of
the northern path of the sun (the northern solstice)—then de-
parting men who know Brahman go to Brahman (24). This is
the path of Devayana or the path of light.

"Smoke, night time, the dark fortnight also, the six months
of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice)—attain-
ing by these to the lunar light, the Yogi returns (25). This is the
path of Pitriyana or the path of darkness.

“Whatever fruit of merit is declared in the scriptures to ac-
crue from the study of the Vedas, the performance of sacrifices,
practice of austerities and gift beyond all this goes the Yogi,
having known this, and attains to the Supreme Primeval or first
Abode" (28).

CHAPTER IX
The Yoga of Kingly Science and Kingly Secret
(Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga)

Lord Krishna said, “Kingly Science, Kingly Secret, the Su-
preme Purifier is this realisable by direct intuitional knowledge,

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 143

according to righteousness, very easy to perform, imperishable
(2).

“All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifested form
(aspect); all beings exist in Me, but | do not dwell in them (4). |
am the father of this world, the mother, the dispenser of fruits of
action, and grandfather; the one thing to be known, the Purifier,
the syllable Om, and also the Rik, the Sama and the Yajus also
(17). | am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the
Abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, dissolution, the foun-
dation, the treasure-house and the seed imperishable (18).

“To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other,
to those ever united, | secure what is not already possessed
(Yoga) and preserve what they already possess (Kshema)
(22). Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit,
water, that | accept, offered with devotion by the pure-minded
(26). Whatever thou doest, whatever thou eatest, whatever
thou offerest in sacrifice, whatsoever givest, whatsoever
practiseth as austerity, O Kaunteya, do it as an offering unto Me
(27).

“Even if the most sinful worship Me, with devotion to none
else, he too should indeed be regarded as righteous, for he has
rightly resolved (30). Soon he becomes righteous and attains
eternal peace, O Kaunteya; know thou for certain that My devo-
tee is never destroyed” (31).

CHAPTER X
The Yoga of Divine Glories
(Vibhuti Yoga)

The Blessed Lord said, “With their minds wholly in Me,
with their life absorbed in Me, enlightening each other and ever
speaking of Me, the wise are satisfied and delighted (9). To
them ever steadfast, worshipping Me with love, | give the Yoga
of discrimination by which they come to Me (10). Out of mere
compassion for them, |, dwelling within their self, destroy the
darkness born of ignorance by the luminous lamp of knowl-
edge” (11).

144 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

Atjuna said, "O Lord! Thou shouldst indeed tell, without re-
serve of Thy divine glories by which Thou existeth pervading all
these worlds” (16).

The Blessed Lord said, “I am the Self, O Gudakesa,
seated in the hearts of all beings; | am the beginning, the mid-
dle, and also the end of all beings (20). Among the twelve
Adityas, | am Vishnu; among luminous objects, the radiant Sun;
! am Marichi among the forty-nine Maruts; among the stars the
Moon am | (21). Among the Vedas | am the Sama Veda; | am
Vasava (Indra) among the gods; among the senses | am the
mind; and | am the intelligence among living beings (22). And
among the Rudras, | am Sankara; among the Yakshas and
Rakshasas, the Lord of wealth (Kubera); among the Vasus lam
Pavaka (Agni); and among the (seven) mountains | am the
Meru (23). Among the household priests (of kings) O Partha,
know Me to be the chief, Brihaspati; among generals | am
Skanda; among lakes, | am the ocean (24). Among the great
Rishis | am Bhrigu; among words | am the one syllable OM;
among sacrifices | am the sacrifice of silent repetition (Japa
Yajna); among immovable things, the Himalayas (25). Among
the trees | am the Asvattha; among divine Rishis Narada:
among Gandharvas Chitraratha; among the perfected ones the
Muni Kapila (26).

“Of purifiers | am the wind; Rama of warriors am |; among
fishes | am the shark; among streams | am the Ganga (31).
Among letters the letter ‘A’ | am; and the dual among all com-
pounds; | am, verily the inexhaustible or everlasting Time; | am
the dispenser of fruits of actions having faces in all directions
(33). | am the gambling of cheat; | am the splendour of the
splendid; | am victory, | am determination of those who are de-
termined; | am the goodness of the good (36). There is no end
of My Divine Glories, O Parantapa; but this is a brief statement
of My divine attributes” (40).

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 145

CHAPTER XI!
The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form

(Visva Rupa Darsana Yoga)

Arjuna said, “Now O Supreme Lord, as Thou hast thus de-
scribed Thyself in that way O Purushottama (Purusha Su-
preme), | wish to see actually Thy divine form” (3).

The Blessed Lord said, “Behold O Partha forms of Me by
hundreds and thousands of different sorts, divine, of various
colours and shapes (5). Behold the Adityas, the Vasus, the
Rudras, the two Asvins and also the forty-nine Maruts: behold
many wonders never seen before, O Bharata (6). Now behold
O Gudakesa in this My body the whole universe centred in
one—including the moving and the unmoving—and whatever
else thou desirest to see (7). But thou art not able to behold Me
with these thine eyes alone; | give thee divine eye; behold My
lordly Yoga” (8).

Lord Krishna showed to Partha His Supreme Form with
numerous mouths and eyes with numerous wonderful sights,
with numerous divine ornaments, with numerous divine weap-
ons uplifted (10).

Arjuna said, “I see all the gods, O God, in Thy body and
also hosts of various classes of beings, Brahma the Lord
seated on the lotus, all the Rishis and celestial serpents (15). |
see Thee without beginning, middle or end, infinite in power of
endless arms, the sun and the moon being Thy eyes, the burn-
ing fire Thy mouth heating the whole universe with the radiance
(19). Into Thy mouths terrible with teeth and fearful to behold all
the sons of Dhritarashtra, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, etc, hur-
riedly enter; some are found sticking in the gaps between the
teeth with their heads crushed to powder” (26-27).

The Blessed Lord said, “Therefore, stand up and obtain
fame. Conquer the enemies and enjoy the unrivalled kingdom.
Verily by Myself they have been already slain; be thou a mere
instrument, O Savyasachi (Arjuna)” (33).

Arjuna said, “Thou art the Primeval God, the Ancient
Purusha; Thou art the supreme refuge of this universe. Thou

146 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

art the knower, the knowable and the supreme abode. By Thee
is this universe pervaded, O Being of infinite form (38). |am de-
lighted, having seen what was never seen before and yet my
mind is distressed with fear. Show me that form only with four
hands, O God; have mercy, O Gad of gods, O Abode of the Uni-
verse” (45-46).

The Blessed Lord assumed His gentle form with four
hands and showed this form to Arjuna and consoled him who
was terrified (50).

The Blessed Lord said, “Neither by the Vedas nor by aus-
terity, nor by gifts, nor by sacrifice can | be seen in this form, as
thou hast seen Me so easily. But by the single-minded devo-
tion, can | of this form be known and seen in reality and also en-
tered into, O Parantapa. He who does actions for Me, who
looks on Me as, the Supreme, who is devoted to Me, who is
free from attachment, who bears enmity towards no creature,
he comes to Me, Pandava" (53-55).

CHAPTER XII
The Yoga of Devotion
(Bhakti Yoga)

Arjuna said, “Those devotees, who ever steadfast, thus
worship Thee, and those also who worship the Imperishable,
the Unmanifested—which of these are better-versed in Yoga?”
(1)

The Blessed Lord said, “Those who, fixing their mind on
Me, worship Me, ever-steadfast and endowed with supreme
faith, in My opinion are the best in Yoga (2). Greater is their
trouble whose minds are set on the unmanifested; for the goal,
the unmanifested, is very hard for the embodied to reach (5).
Fix thy mind on Me only, place Thy intellect in Me; then thou
shalt no doubt live in Me alone hereafter (8). If thou art not able
to fix thy mind steadily on Me, then by Yoga of constant practice
(Abhyasa Yoga) do thou seek to reach Me, O Dhananjaya (9). If
thou art unable to practise even this Abhyasa Yoga, be thou in-
tent on doing actions for My sake; even by doing actions for My
sake, thou shalt attain perfection (10). If thou art unable to do

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 147

even this then taking refuge in union with Me, renounce the
fruits of all actions, with the self controlled (11). Better indeed is
knowledge than practice; than knowledge meditation is better;
than meditation renunciation of the fruits of actions; peace im-
mediately follows renunciation (12).

“He who hates no creature, who is friendly and compas-
sionate to all, who is free from attachment and egoism, bal-
anced in pleasure and pain, and forgiving; ever content, steady
in meditation, self-controlled, possessed of firm conviction,
with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear
to Me (13-14). He who is free from envy, fear and anxiety, who
is free from wants, pure, expert, unconcerned, untroubled, who
has renounced all undertakings or commencements, who nei-
ther rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, who has re-
nounced good and evil, who is full of devotion, he is dear to Me
(16-17).

“He who is the same to a foe and friend, and also in hon-
our and dishonour, who is the same in cold and heat, and in
pleasure and pain, who is free from attachment, who is bal-
anced in censure and praise, pain and pleasure, who is silent,
content with anything, homeless, steady-minded, full of devo-
tion—that man is dear to Me (18-19).

“They verily, who follow this Immortal Dharma (law or
doctrine) as described above endowed with faith, regarding Me
as their supreme goal, devotees, they are exceedingly dear to
Me" (20),

CHAPTER XIll
The Yoga of Distinction Between the Field
and Knower of the Field
(Kshetra-Kshetrajna-Vibhaga Yoga)

Arjuna said: “Prakriti (matter) and Purusha (spirit), also
the field (Kshetra) and the knower of the field (Kshetrajna),
knowledge and which ought to be known—these | desire to
learn, O Kesava.”

The Blessed Lord said: “This body, O son of Kunti, is
called the field (Kshetra), he who knows it (body) is called

148 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

(Kshetrajna) (the knower of the field) by the sages (1), Do thou
also know Me as the knower of the field in all fields, O Arjuna.
Knowledge of both the field and the knower of the field is
considered by Me to be the knowledge (2).

“The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the
unmanifested (Mula-Prakriti or Avyaktam), the ten senses and
the one (mind) and the five objects of the senses, desire, ha-
tred, pleasure and pain, the aggregate, intelligence, cour-
age—the Kshetra has been thus described briefly with its
modifications (5-6).

“Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forbearance, up-
rightness, service of the teacher, purity, steadfastness,
self-control; indifference to the objects of the senses and also
absence of egoism; perception of evil in birth, death, old age, in
sickness and pain; non-attachment, non-identification of self
with son, wife, home and the like and constant balance of mind
in the occurrence of the desirable and the undesirable, un-
swerving devotion to Me by Yoga, without other object, resort to
solitary places, distaste for the society of men, constant appli-
cation to spiritual knowledge of Truth—this is declared to be
knowledge, and what is opposed to it is ignorance (7-11),

“With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and
mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere He exists in the
world, enveloping all (13). Without and within all beings, the im-
movable and also the moveable; because of His subtlety in-
comprehensible; and near and far away is That (15). That the
Light of all lights, is said to be beyond darkness, knowledge,
the knowable, the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all
(17).

“He sees, who sees, that all actions are performed by
Prakriti alone and that the Self is actionless (30), They who by
the eye of wisdom perceive the difference between Kshetra
(the field) and the Kshetrajna (the knower of the field) and the
liberation of beings from Matter (Prakritii—they go to the Su-
preme” (34),

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 149

CHAPTER XIV
The Yoga of the Division of the Three Gunas
(Guna-Traya-Vibhaga-Yoga)

The Blessed Lord said: “Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (purity,
passion and inertia)—these Gunas, O mighty-armed, born of
Prakriti, bind fast in the body the indestructible embodied one
(5), Of these Sattva (purity) which from its stainlessness is lu-
minous and healthy, binds by attachment to happiness and by
attachment to knowledge, O sinless one! (6). Know thou Rajas
to be of the nature of passion, the source of thirst for life and ob-
jects and attachment, it binds fast, O son of Kunti, the embod-
ied one by attachment to action (7). But know thou Tamas
(inertia) born of ignorance is the deluder of all embodied be-
ings; it binds fast, O Bharata, by heedlessness, indolence and
sloth (8).

“Now Sattva (purity) prevails, having overpowered Rajas
and Tamas, O Bharata; now Rajas, having overpowered Sattva
and Tamas; now Tamas, having overpowered Sattva and Rajas
(10).

“When the wisdom-light shines at every gate (sense) in
this body, then it should be known that Sattva is increasing (11).
Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness, de-
sire—these are born of increase of Rajas, O best of the
Bharatas (12). Darkness, inertness, heedlessness, and also
delusion—these are born of the increase of Tamas, O descen-
dant of the Kuru (13).

“If the embodied one dies when Sattva is predominant,
then he goes to the spotless worlds of the Highest (14). If he
dies when Rajas is predominant, he is born among those at-
tached to action; if he dies when Tamas is predominant he is
born in the wombs of the senseless (15). The fruit of good ac-
tion, they say, is Sattvic and pure; verily the fruit of Rajas is pain
and the fruit of Tamas is ignorance (16). Those who are seated
in Sattva rise upwards; the Rajasic remain in the middle; and
the Tamasic who follow in the course of the lowest Guna, go
downwards (18),

150 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

“When the seer beholds not an agent other than the
Gunas and knows that which is higher than the Gunas, he at-
tains to My being (19). The embodied one, having crossed be-
yond these three Gunas out of which the body is evolved is
freed from birth, death, old age and pain and attains the immor-
tal” (20).

Arjuna said: “What are the marks of him who has crossed
over the three qualities, O Lord? What is his conduct and how
does he pass beyond the three Gunas?" (21)

The Blessed Lord said: “He, O Pandava, who hates not ra-
diance nor activity, nor even delusion when present, nor longs
for them when absent (22), he who, seated as a neutral, is not
moved by Gunas; who knowing that the Gunas act, is firm and
moves not (23). He to whom pain and pleasure are alike, who
dwells in the Self, to whom a lump of earth, stone and gold are
alike, to whom the dear and the undear are alike, who is firm, to
whom censure and praise are same; the same in honour and
disgrace, the same to friend and foe, abandoning all undertak-
ings—he is said to have crossed over the qualities” (24-25).

CHAPTER XV
The Yoga of Supreme Purusha
(Purushottama Yoga)

The Blessed Lord said: “With roots above, branches be-
low, the Asvattha is said to be indestructible; its leaves are the
hymns; he who knows this knows the Vedas (1). Below and
above spread its branches, nourished by the Gunas; sense-ob-
jects are its buds, and its roots grow downwards in the world of
men ending in action (2). Its form is not perceived here, neither
its end nor its origin nor its existence; having cut asunder this
firm-rooted Asvattha with the strong axe of non-attachment,
that goal should be sought for, going whither none returns
again. | seek refuge in that Primeval Purusha whence
streamed forth the ancient energy (3-4).

“Free from pride and delusion, with the evil of attachment
conquered, constantly abiding in the Self, their desires having
completely turned away, liberated from the pairs of opposites

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 151

known as pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach that goal
Eternal (5).

“There the sun does not shine, nor the moon, nor fire; hav-
ing gone thither they return not; that is My Supreme Abode (6).
An eternal portion of My own self having become a living soul in
the world of life, draws to itself the five senses with mind for the
sixth abiding in Prakriti (7). Abiding in the body of living beings
as the fire Vaisvanara, united with Prana and Apana, | digest
the four kinds of food (14).

“| am seated in the hearts of all; from Me are memory,
knowledge and their absence; | am verily that which has to be
known by all the Vedas; | indeed am the author of the Vedanta
and the knower of the Vedas am | (15).

“There are two Purushas in the world—the perishable and
the Imperishable; all beings are perishable and the Kutastha
(immutable, unchanging) is called the Imperishable (16). But
there is another, the supreme Purusha, called the Highest Self,
the indestructible Lord, who pervading all, sustains the three
worlds (17). As | transcend the perishable and am even higher
than the Imperishable, | am known in the world and in the Veda
as ‘Purushottama’ (the Highest Purusha) (18).

“He who, undeluded thus knows Me, the Highest
Purusha, he knowing all worships Me with his whole being O
Bharata, this most profound teaching has been taught by Me, O
sinless one. On knowing thus one becomes illumined, O
Bharata and all his duties are accomplished” (19-20).

CHAPTER XVI

The Yoga of Division Between the
Divine and the Demoniacal
(Daivasura-Sampad-Vibhaga Yoga)

The Blessed Lord said: “Fearlessness, purity of heart,
steadfastness in the Yoga of wisdom, alms-giving, control of
the senses (self-restraint), sacrifice, study of one’s own scrip-
tures, austerity, straightforwardness, non-injury, absence of an-
ger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness,
compassion to living beings, uncovetousness, gentleness,

152 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

modesty, absence of fickleness, vigour, forgiveness, fortitude,
purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to
one who is born with the divine properties, O Bharata (1-3).

“Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, harshness and
ignorance, belong to one who is born, O Partha, with demonia-
cal properties (4).

“The divine properties are deemed to make for liberation,
the demoniacal for bondage. Grieve not, thou art born with di-
vine properties, O Pandava (5).

“Demoniacal men know not what to do and what to refrain
from; neither purity nor good conduct, nor truth is found in them
(7). They say, ‘The universe is without truth, without a moral ba-
sis, without a God, brought about by mutual union, brought
about by lust and nothing else’ (8). Filled with insatiable de-
sires, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, holding evil ideas
through delusion, they work with impure resolves (10). Bound
by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they
strive to secure by unlawful means hoards of wealth for sensual
enjoyments (12). ‘This today has been gained by me, this de-
sire | shall obtain; this wealth is mine already, and also this shall
be mine in future’ (13). ‘| have slain this enemy, and others also
| shall slay. | am lord, | enjoy, | am perfect, powerful and happy’
(14). ‘lam rich, well-born, who else is equal to me? | will sacri-
fice. | will give charity. | will rejoice’ (15). These malicious and
cruel-doers, worst of men in the world, | hurl them for ever into
the wombs of demons only (19).

“Triple is the gate of this hell, destructive of the Self, lust,
anger and greed; therefore, these three one should abandon
(21). Aman who is released from these three gates to dark-
ness, O son of Kunti, does good to the self and thus reaches
the Supreme Goal (22).

“He who setting aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts
under the impulse of desire, attains not to perfection, nor happi-
ness, nor the Supreme Goal (23). Therefore, let the scriptures be
thy authority in deciding as what ought to be done and what ought
not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinances of the
scriptures, thou shouldst work in this world” (24).

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 153

CHAPTER XVII
The Yoga of the Threefold Faith
(Sraddha-Traya-Vibhaga Yoga)

Arjuna said: "Those who setting aside the ordinances of
the scriptures, perform sacrifice with faith—what faith is theirs?
Is it Sattva or Rajas or Tamas (Is it purity or passion or dark-
ness)?" (1).

The Blessed Lord said: "Threefold is the faith of the em-
bodied, which is inherent in their nature—Sattvic (pure),
Rajasic (passionate) and Tamasic (darkness). Do thou hear of
these (2). The faith of each is in accordance with his nature, O
Bharata. The man consists of his faith, as a man’s faith is, so is
he (3).

“Those men who perform terrible austerities not enjoined
by the scriptures, given to hypocrisy and egoism, impelled by
the force of their desires and passions, torture, senseless as
they are, the aggregated elements forming the body, and Me
also, who dwells in the body within, know thou these to be of
demoniac resolves (5-6).

"The foods which increase vitality, energy, strength,
health, joy and cheerfulness, which are savoury, oleaginous,
substantial and agreeable, are dear to the Sattvic (8). The
foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry
and burning, and which cause pain, grief and diseases, are
dear to the Rajasic (9). That which is stale, tasteless, putrid,
rotten, refused and impure, is dear to the Tamasic (10).

“The sacrifice that is offered by men without desire for fruit
as enjoined by ordinance, with a fixed resolve in the mind that
they should do the sacrifice as duty, is pure (11). That which is
offered with a view to obtain fruit and for ostentation, O best of
the Bharatas, know it to be a Rajasic Yajna (12). The sacrifice
performed contrary to the ordinances in which no food is dis-
tributed, which is destitute of Mantras, gifts and faith, is said to
be Tamasic (13).

“Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the Gurus and the
wise, purity, straightforwardness, continence and non-injury

154 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

are called the austerity of the body (14). Speech which causes
no annoyance and is true, as also pleasant and beneficial and
also study of the scriptures, are called the austerity of the
speech (15). Serenity of the mind, equanimity, silence,
self-control, purity of nature—this is called the mental austerity
(16).

“This threefold austerity, practised by steadfast men with
the utmost faith, without desire for fruit is said to be Sattvic
(pure) (17). That austerity which is practised with the object of
gaining good reception, honour and worship and with ostenta-
tion is here (in this world) said to be Rajasic, unstable and tran-
sitory (18). That austerity which is practised out of a foolish
notion with self-torture, or for the purpose of ruining another is
declared to be Tamasic (19),

“That alms (gift) which is given—knowing it to be a duty to
give—to one who does no service in return, ina fit place and
time, to a worthy person, that alms is said to be Sattvic (20).
That gift which is given with a view to receiving in return or look-
ing for the fruit or again reluctantly that gift is held to be Rajasic
(21). That gift given at a wrong place or time, to unworthy per-
sons, without respect and with insult, that is declared to be
Tamasic" (22).

CHAPTER XVIII
The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation
(Moksha Sannyasa Yoga)

Arjuna said: “| desire to know severally, O mighty-armed,
the essence of Sannyasa, O Hrishikesa, as also ‘Tyaga,' O
Kesinisudana (slayer of Kesi)" (1).

The Blessed Lord said: “Sages understand ‘Sannyasa' to
be the renouncing of works with desires; the wise declare the
abandonment of the fruits of all works as ‘Tyaga’ (2). Acts of
sacrifice, gift and austerity should not be relinquished, but
should be performed; sacrifice, gift, and also austerity are the
purifiers of the wise (5).

“These five causes, O mighty-armed, know thou from Me
as declared in the Sankhya system for the accomplishment of

BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE 155

all actions (13). The body, the actor, the various organs, the
several functions of various sorts and the presiding deities
also, the fifth (14). He who is free from the notion of egoism,
whose intellect is not affected (by good or evil), though he kills
these people, he kills not, nor is bound by the action (17).

“An action which is ordained, done without love or hatred
by one not desirous of the fruit and free from attachment, is de-
clared to be Sattvic (21). But that action which is done by one
longing for desires or again with egoism or with much effort, is
declared to be Rajasic (24). The action which is undertaken
from delusion, without regarding the consequence, loss of
wealth, injury (to others) and one’s own ability, that is declared
to be Tamasic (25).

“That which knows the paths of action and renunciation,
what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and
fearlessness, bondage and liberation, that intellect, O Partha,
is Sattvic (30). That by which one wrongly understands right
(Dharma) and wrong (Adharma), and also what ought to be
done and what ought not to be done, that intellect, O Partha, is
Rajasic (31). That which enveloped in darkness regards wrong
(Adharma) as right (Dharma) and sees all things in a perverted
light, that intellect, O Partha, is Tamasic (32).

“That which is like poison at first but like nectar in the end;
that happiness is said to be Sattvic, born of the blissful knowl-
edge of the Self (37). That pleasure which arises from the con-
tact of the senses with their objects, at first like nectar but in the
end like poison, that is declared to be Rajasic (38). That plea-
sure which both at first and afterwards is delusion of the Self,
arising from sleep; indolence and heedlessness, that is de-
clared to be Tamasic (39).

“Dwelling in solitude, eating but little, speech, body and
mind controlled, ever engaged in meditation and concentra-
tion, taking refuge in dispassion (52), having abandoned ego-
ism, violence, arrogance, desire, anger, covetousness, freed
from the notion of 'mine' and peaceful, he is fit for becoming
Brahman (53). Becoming Brahman, tranquil-minded, he nei-
ther grieves nor desires the same to all beings, he attains su-

156 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

preme devotion to Me (54). By devotion he knows Me in reality,
what and who |.am; then having known Me in reality, he forth-
with enters into the Supreme (55).

“The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna,
causing all beings, by His Maya, to revolve as if mounted on a
machine (61). Take refuge in Him with all thy heart, O Bharata;
by His grace thou shalt attain supreme peace and the eternal
abode (62).

“Fix thy mind in Me, be My devotee, sacrifice to Me, bow
down to Me, thou shalt reach Myself; truly do | promise unto
thee, for thou art dear to Me (65). Abandoning all duties take
refuge in Me alone; | will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not
(66).

“Has this been heard by thee, O Partha, with an attentive
mind? Has thy delusion caused by ignorance been destroyed,
O Dhananjaya?” (72).

Arjuna said: “My delusion is destroyed, and | have gained
knowledge through Thy grace, O Achyuta (O Immutable One), |
am firm; my doubts have vanished. | will do according to Thy
word” (73).

Wherever is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, wherever is
Partha, the archer, there are prosperity, victory, happiness and
sound policy, so | think (78).

Hari Om Tat Sat.

Om Santi! Santi! Santi!

Lessons from the Gita

WHY WAS GITA TAUGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

Critics of the Bhagavad Gita have often contended that it
is highly improbable that neither could Sri Krishna have been in
a mood to teach nor Arjuna in a mood to listen to a 700-Sloka
long discourse on Yoga and Vedanta on the field of battle at the
very commencement of the war, when everyone's mind was full
of thoughts relating to warfare itself and about the possible out-
come of the conflict. On this score they have suggested that the
Gita should be an interpolation, thrust into the Great Epic by a
zealous Yoga-propagandist who should have seen in such a
procedure the easiest method of immortalising the doctrine of
the Gita, as he should have known that Mahabharata itself
would be forever looked upon as the treasure-house of wis-
dom.

Doubtless, the occasion chosen for the Great Teaching
seems, prima facie, very inopportune. As it actually turned out
to be, in spite of the spectacular way in which the Lord brought
home the lessons of the Gita to Arjuna (e.g., the Visvarupa-
Darsana), Arjuna soon forgot all about it! Towards the close of
the Krishna-Avatara, Arjuna again asks Krishna to teach him.
This clearly implies that Krishna did not so much wish to teach
the Gita to Arjuna, but to humanity as a whole, specially to the
peoples of the Kali Yuga. We should remember that the Gita
was revealed by the Lord on the eve of the onset of Kali Yuga.
Moreover, we find in the Vibhuti Yoga Adhyaya that Krishna
specifically mentions that Arjuna among the Pandavas has His
Amsa. It is quite improbable that such a great soul would have
of his own accord collapsed faint-heartedly at the sight of his
kinsmen in battle array, unless the Lord Himself willed itso, in
order to make Arjuna an instrument for the Gita-revelation; in
the latter case no doubt we have strong reason to suppose that
it was because Arjuna was His own Amsa that the Lord chose
him to be the channel for the Gitopadesa. He could have made
no better choice.

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160 ETHICS OF THE. BHAGAVAD GITA

Further, we find from Lord Krishna's first words in the Gita
that He actually prompted Arjuna to faint! The Lord gave him
the powerful psychological suggestion which obviously made
his head reel. Arjuna asks Krishna to place the chariot at a
point from which he could see “those who have assembled
here for the battle, desirous of war, at the instigation of the
wicked Kauravas.” The dutiful charioteer obeys His 'master's'
instructions; but, He skillfully gives the suggestion that would
make Arjuna grieve over the prospect of the war itselfl He says:
“O Arjuna! See there Bhishma, Drona and others..." Studying
the Gita further on, we see how Arjuna’s mind slowly but surely
and completely got enveloped by this strong, powerful and Di-
vine suggestion. Whereas throughout the first Chapter he lays
the greatest stress on the evil of killing kinsmen, he finds that
the Lord’s mysterious veiling power slowly fills him the way He
willed it! When at the beginning of the second Chapter, the Lord
smilingly (surely He would have smiled at the good work done
by His own words!) admonished Arjuna for the faint-
heartedness. Arjuna reveals that the Lord's power had had its
fullest effect on his mind; he says: ‘How can | kill Bhishma and
Drona, the worshipful sires?’ mentioning just the two persons
whom the Lord prominently hinted at. Itis significant that it was
only after this second and complete collapse that the Lord
chose to discourse upon the Immortality of the Soul, and not at
the very first sign of faint-heartedness.

Now, taking that the Lord, in His Infinite Mercy for the peo-
ples of Kali Yuga wanted to deliver the Message of the Gita
through Arjuna, could He not have done this at a more oppor-
tune moment?—for instance, when the Pandavas were in the
forest (a forest is traditionally the best place for the practice and
preaching of Yoga!)? Or could there have been any particular
reason for His choosing the battlefield for teaching the Gita to
Arjuna?

If we ponder the Lilas of Lord Krishna, we find that He did
nothing without a deep significance; even His playfulness had
a great purpose hidden behind it. He had the supreme knack of
teaching great lessons to simple folk very often in a clownish
way or through his childish pranks! The mischievous baby

WHY WAS GITA TAUGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD? 161

would eat dirt and when the Mother chided Him, He would dis-
play in His mouth the entire universe! The Nourisher of the
three worlds (Krishna) would feign great hunger and would
crave eyen for a grain of rice, and by eating it, mysteriously ap-
pease the hunger of the fiery Durvasa and his hosts! We could
easily say that there was not a single act of Lord Krishna, as a
babe, as a young boy, as a youth, as a statesman, as a shep-
herd, or as a charioteer, which did not have a deep philosophic
import.

May it be that there was some meaning in His choosing
the battlefield for the Gita-teachings?

Yes: He wanted to point out to us that wisdom should not
recline on the arm-chair, If his wisdom did not accompany a
man to the field of battle, itwas no wisdom atall! Any man could
talk philosophy after dinner; any man could discourse upon the
most intricate points in the Yoga Sastras, sitting comfortably
near the fireplace. But that is no wisdom at all: itis lip-service to
the Supreme Science of Knowledge of the Self. It is hypocrisy.
These people generally fail when they face a trial, when their
wisdom is put to the acid test of practical demonstration, when
they find themselves in a crisis.

Krishna’s Panchajanya roars a big NO! No, no. Thatis not
wisdom; real wisdom will serve you right in the battlefield, right
in a crisis, and will enable you to surmount the obstacle, resist
the temptation, arise victoriously from the trial. You will convert
the trial into a great opportunity for revealing your genius. For,
genius is often made by crisis.

A strong character will not succumb to tests and tempta-
tions, however, strong and powerful they may be. On the con-
trary, a strong character reveals its strength only at the time of
such crisis. A morally weak man talks philosophy when things
are getting on the way he wishes them to; but his philosophy
takes leave of him at the sight of a test. But a morally strong
man may give no indication whatsoever of his strength in ordi-
nary times; when a great trial faces him, he reacts most surpris-
ingly and reveals his character.

162 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

That is what, we, as Sadhakas, understand from Krishna's
choice of the platform for His discourse. It is as it were a fitting
prelude to the great Yoga of Equanimity that He was about to
preach through Arjuna to the entire humanity.

THE CHARACTERS OF THE GITA
And the lessons that they teach

The great Acharyas have (most of them) commenced
their Gita-~Bhashya from the second Chapter of the Gita as they
have considered that the real Gita-teaching commences there.
Even others have given very little attention to the first Chapter.
If we closely study the first Chapter, we will find that it contains
many object lessons for a Sadhaka. Every one of the main
characters that plays a role in the Great Gita Drama has a les-
son to teach us. Let us then turn to them,

Strangely enough Dhritarashtra opens the Immortal Song.
Dhritarashtra was already blind. He had before the commence-
ment of the war his life's chance of eyesight which Vyasa of-
fered him if he desired to witness the war. A reluctance to see
his children killed in battle made him refuse the loving offer of
the Sage. Moha (deluded attachment) made him revel in blind-
ness! We are by birth enveloped by the veil of ignorance. Life it-
self offers us opportunities galore of restoring the eyesight of
wisdom to us. But Moha (deluded attachment) to 'l’ and ‘mine’
further blinds us; it almost makes us feel that the blindness of
ignorance is better and a happier state than the light of wisdom.

But, then, why should Dhritarashtra be accorded this hon-
our of opening the Gita? He and Sanjaya claim our first atten-
tion the moment we take up the Gita!

What does Dhritarashtra do? He turns to Sanjaya for
knowledge. ‘Sanjaya’ is one who has conquered his senses,
and his mind. Here, perhaps, we have the great lesson.

Every embodied being finds himself helplessly enveloped
by the darkness of ignorance and bound by the ropes of delu-
sion (Moha). He has to turn to ‘Sanjaya’, i.e., he has to bring his
senses and the mind under perfect control. Then commences
the process of knowledge.

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164 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

We should not forget that Sanjaya had a divine vi-
sion—the supernatural vision—with which he was able to ‘see’
what was going on in the battlefield though he was far away
from it; he was even able to read the minds of the warriors! This
phenomenon tells us that if we choose to turn to Sanjaya, i.e., if
we bring our senses and our mind under perfect control, we
shall acquire the inner vision, the intuitive perception, which is
our guide to Self-Knowledge. Even as the wicked Dhritarashtra
was able to hear the Gita-teaching through the good offices of
Sanjaya; we, too, shall be able to acquire Supreme Knowledge
through a self-controlled Buddhi, through the eye of intuition.

Both Duryodhana and Arjuna reached the verge of
collapse before the commencement of the war. Duryodhana
approached his Acharya (Drona) with tremulous voice and
quaking limbs and complained that his numerically superior
army was inadequate compared to the strength of the enemy.

Arjuna, too, displayed, faint-heartedness at the sight of his
kith and kin and refused to kill them.

Let us take a closer look at them.

Duryodhana was afraid. His conscience pricked him. The
unrighteousness of his past conduct and present intentions
robbed him of his Kshatriya valour. Piteously he bleated before
Drona and bewailed his fear.

Arjuna had no such fear. He was not worried that his army
would suffer defeat, in spite of its numerical inferiority. His
cause was prima facie righteous. What troubled his heart was:
‘am | to kill my kith and kin, the grandsire and the Acharya,
though they provoked the combat and were obviously prepared
to be slain?’ Compassion and a false sense of duty, or rather
Dharma-Sankata (confusion as to the real duty) overtook him.

Duryodhana illustrates a principle: unrighteousness en-
genders fear in the heart. An unrighteous man, even though
strong and powerful, is crippled by fright. Even here his
strength is of no avail to him. He dies many times before his
death.

THE CHARACTERS OF THE GITA 165

Arjuna, on the other hand, is a typical example of an aspi-
rant at the threshold of renunciation. He is righteous; his aims
are also righteous. But he is confused. On the one hand, there
is the Vyavaharika Dharma (his duty to the world) and on the
other there is the Paramarthika Dharma (his duty to his own
transcendental soul, i.e., Self-realisation). The two seem to be
mutually conflicting and contradictory. Confusion arises in the
mind. Misplaced sympathy, wrong notions of all sorts, assail
him. He collapses. This mental struggle continues till the Su-
preme Knowledge is obtained and the very existence of the
world denied by the Jnani. Then there is only the Paramarthika
Dharma; the haunting shadow of the Vyavaharika Dharma van-
ishes.

That is one reason why Arjuna was chosen to be the
Gita-disciple. Itis only the aspirant who is thus on the horns of a
dilemma that needs and that will heed spiritual instruction, Nei-
ther a worldly man to whom this world is the ultimate reality and
his duties and obligations to himself and ‘his’ the ultimate
Dharma, nor a Jnani to whom the world is a mere nothing (an il-
lusory product of a Nothing called Maya) and the Self alone is
Real, can derive any benefit out of the Lord's teaching in the
Gita. It is only the disciple “on the threshold" unable to decide
whether to go forward or to remain behind, that needs positive
command. Therefore, | feel that the Gita is of the greatest spiri-
tual import to the aspirant who stands at the brink of the world,
unable to decide whether to renounce or not.

Ml

Krishna! What have You to teach us?

Why did You take up the reins if it is not to teach us that the
truly great are the really humble, that he who would wish to be
in tune with the Infinite would be the embodiment of devotion to
duty, selfless, egoless and indifferent to praise, honour, plea-
sure or success?

If You had not vowed to bear arms, You could even then
remained as a Divine Spectator, giving lordly directions to the
Pandavas. But, no: You accepted to be Arjuna’s charioteer;
You put Yourself in such a position where Arjuna had to ‘com-

166 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

mand’ You to drive the chariot hither and thither, where You had
to give the horses a bath in the evening, attend to their feeding,
etc. Lord of the Three Worlds! Truly blessed are they who un-
derstand the Mystery of Thy Action and cultivate real humility.

Real humility is the sign of great strength, supreme knowl-
edge and perfect renunciation. Humility is not for the weak and
the ignorant. In fact, arrogance and pride are the surest signs of
internal weakness and ignorance. The mind of the weak sub-
consciously rises in arrogance and vanity in order to counteract
its own weakness! The poor man wants at least to pretend to be
great!

Not so the wise, the truly great, who, like Lord Krishna
would be humble, noble, egoless and devoted to their duty.
Bless us, O Lord!

DURYODHANA VS. ARJUNA
ON THE SPIRITUAL WAR-FRONT

When, before the commencement of the Kurukshetra
War, Duryodhana felt his heart sinking within him at the sight of
the Pandava Army (inferior in numerical strength and excep-
tional valour, compare Bhishma, the mightiest, Drona the great
teacher, Karna the invincible to his own), he instinctively sought
the Acharya, Drona. What did Drona do? He could not give
false hopes to Duryodhana. He could not tell him: “Take heart,
O king! You will win, for your cause is righteous and it is your
duty to fight." Drona’s silence was the best answer. Yet,
Duryodhana was virtually the king; and Drona had loyalty at
heart. “To cheer him up," Drona blew the conch. That was the
best that could be done in the circumstances.

Could he not have delivered a grand discourse, a Drona
Gita, dissuading Duryodhana from his wonted course, making
a last minute attempt to save the terrible bloodshed and de-
struction of the race? Obviously, Drona knew his disciple! The
wicked man bent on wickedness, confirmed in his own wicked
notions and evil designs, is in no mood to listen to a sermon on
righteousness. Often in spite of themselves the elders had to
speak out their heart... to their own disgrace and disadvantage,
for everyone Duryodhana only retorted violently, called them
traitors eating his salt and favouring Pandavas. The Kauravas'
wickedness had reached its natural limit; and Bhishma, Drona
and other wise men on the Kaurava side knew that beyond that
limit lay complete destruction, inevitable ruin. Knowing the
course of unrighteous, therefore, the wise Drona kept silent
and blew the conch. The conduct of these noble ones (e.g.,
Bhishma and Drona) in sticking to the Kauravas, with the fullest
knowledge of the outcome of the battle, is a monumental exam-
ple of loyalty.

Now, let us take Arjuna’s case. He was confused by com-
passion—misplaced compassion, as the Lord Himself assures
him, Asochyaan Anvasochastvam. He, too, turns to the Wise

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168 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

One (in his case it turned out to be the Lord Himself) for guid-
ance. What does He do? The Lord smiles: obviously, to rouse
Arjuna’s nobility to greater heights, nobility in the Vyavaharic
sense. We have seen how Krishna Himself gave the ‘sugges-
tion’ for Arjuna's despondency by pointedly referring to
Bhishma and Drona. He waited till Arjuna reacted fully to that
suggestion. In the meantime, He merely kindled the fire by a
derisive smile and the few derisive words: “Pooh! You got ner-
vous at the mere sight of the enemy!"

The Lord's spell then envelops Arjuna. He reacts wonder-
fully to the Lord's suggestion. In other words, he had put his
mind in exactly the same frame as the Lord wanted him to.

The Wise Man (Arjuna) who but a moment before had oc-
cupied the position of a teacher of Dharma now crouched be-
neath the Lord's feet as a humble disciple. He who
categorically refused to act, now asked for guidance. He who
was argumentative, prayed for commands. From Arjuna the
friend emerged Arjuna the disciple, the aspirant, the seeker.
The intelligence in which he prided himself but a moment be-
fore, he now considers “confusion of mind.” He boasted his
knowledge of the Sastras; now he confesses ignorance of his
Dharma THAT is the time; that is the attitude of mind; that is the
mark of the seeker; that is the receptive mood. The Lord pro-
crastinated no more. What He had been waiting for had been
brought about. At one stroke He gave Arjuna the greatest wis-
dom.

He who is in a teaching mood is in no mood to receive
knowledge. He who is proud of his intelligence has effectively
shut the door through which wisdom could enter. He who thinks
he knows everything can never be made to feel that needs any
more knowledge or wisdom. He will never seek any; wisdom
given to him is a dreary waste. The disciple must be prepared
beforehand. He must be made into a true disciple, an earnest
seeker, an egoless aspirant who could be taught, who could re-
ceive what he is taught.

Look at the difference between Duryodhana and Arjuna
again. All that Duryodhana wants, even in his moment of de-

DURYODHANA VS. ARJUNA ON... 169

spondency, is that all the warriors of his army should gather
around Bhishma and enable him to achieve victory. In his mo-
ment of despondency Arjuna completely forgets everything,
the battle, the need to win back the lost kingdom (or, through
death on the battlefield, to attain heaven); but he pleads, “Yat
sreyassyaannischitam bruhi tan-me." SREYAS can be under-
stood in all its grandeur if we bear in mind the sense in which it
is used in the Kathopanishad. Arjuna does not want to pursue
the Preyo-Marga (and here we mean not only the pleasant ma-
terial life on earth, but even attainment of heaven through the
performance of the scripturally-enjoined actions, viz., the
Yajnas and Karmas of the Karma Kanda); but he asks for in-
struction on the Sreyo-Marga, the Path that leads to the Su-
preme. That is the reason why the Lord imparts Atma-Jnana to
him, instead of merely telling him that as a Kshatriya it was his
bounden duty to fight and that otherwise he would go to hell
hereafter.

Self-surrender is the mark of a true disciple. The least
trace of egoism would frustrate the very object of discipleship
and would prevent the aspirant from absorbing the Guru's in-
struction. “Shaadhi maam tvaan prapannam' is the ideal aspi-
rant's prayer to the Guru. Once this Prapatti-mood is achieved,
then the Guru's Grace and Wisdom flows into the aspirant with-
out the least obstruction, let or hindrance.

GRIEVE NOT

It is the suddenness with which Lord Sri Krishna reveals
the greatest Truth to Arjuna that confirms our view that Arjuna,
surrendering himself completely to the Lord asked for instruc-
tion in the Sreyo-Marga, the Path leading to the Supreme
Good, i.e., Liberation.

The Lord's previous attitude, one of merely laughing at
Arjuna’s effeminacy and of instigating him to stand up and fight
(the first few Slokas of the Second Chapter) was His response
to a disciple who had not yet surrendered himself, who consid-
ered himself wise, and who felt that he was himself competent
to judge, to decide and to act in accordance with his own will.

The spontaneity with which the Truth was revealed is as-
tonishing. “I surrender myself to Thee, O Lord,” says the disci-
ple. “Fear not. Grieve Not. Sorrow not," says the Divine Guru.

Asochyan Anvasochastvam

In two words the Lord has summed up the entire Creation:
‘Gatasun' ‘Agatasun'—that which is within your view, all that is
beyond your view; the entire Creation. About no one need we
grieve. Nothing should worry us. We should sorrow over noth-
ing.

Read this Sloka along with the other great Sloka occurring
at the end of the Gita: “Sarvadharman Parityajya Mamekam
Saranam Vraja; Aham Tva Sarvapapebhyo Mokshayishyami
Ma Suchah.” You get the central teaching of the Gita.

In effect the Lord says: “Why do you falsely imagine that
the burden is on your shoulders? It is on Mine. | am the Creator,
Preserver and Destroyer. In fact, the entire Creation has come
out of Me. | pervade the entire Creation as its very soul. All that
goes on here is My Life. You, too, are part of My play. You are
one of the dummy actors in this Drama. You exist at the end of
My string, to dance to My tune. Surrender yourself unto Me.
You will be ever joyful. Give up this egoistic notion. You will
never grieve. | will liberate you; you cannot achieve even libera-

(170)

GRIEVE NOT 171

tion through your own efforts. Remember this and get over your
delusion."

Self-surrender and renunciation are synonymous terms.
One can never surrender himself to Him without first renounc-
ing all shades of egoism. And Gita is the science which teaches
us the true renunciation. Wherever the Lord says “fight,” if you
substitute “renounce,” you will get what the Gita teaches us.
Our battle is battle with the senses and the mind, with the vari-
ous attachments and cravings with I-ness and mine-ness, with
Kartritva and Bhoktritva Abhimana (the notions that “| am the
doer; | am the enjoyer”), To conquer them is to renounce them.
In such renunciation is bliss, peace and Immortality, Liberation.

THE MAN YOU HATE IS YOUR OWN SELF!

During the course of His instruction on the nature of the
Self, the Lord gives us a beautiful simile, “Just as the same per-
son undergoes the various stages of life, childhood, youth,
manhood, old age, he changes over from one body to another.
There is nothing to grieve in this.”

Let us try to concretise this illustration. Take the case of a
great military commander, e.g., Hitler. He makes history by cer-
tain actions (good or bad). He becomes the father of some doc-
trines, various ‘Isms’. He dies. No one can say with what last
thought-form he dies. In accordance with that he takes birth
again in this world, to reap the fruits of his actions. Let us sup-
pose that he is again born and grows up to become a soldier.
He might become famous. He might rise to be as great a leader
as Hitler was. But, he might feel jealous of Hitler's achieve-
ments; or he might hate even the thought of Hitler's doctrines.
How silly it is on the face of it!

Looking back at our own past, we may have regrets at our
own mistakes. We may entertain happy memories of all the
good things of the past. But none except a maniac or lunatic
would really hate his childhood, or feel jealous of his own youth.
Because he actually knows that in effect he hates himself or
feels jealous of himself; and he knows that it is absurd.

Itis as absurd to hate any person on earth. It is as absurd
to feel jealous of any one on earth. The very same Principle that
seems to undergo the various changes of childhood, youth,
manhood and old age, undergoes other changes and puts on
other garbs, too. ‘Dehantaraprapti’ means ‘attainment of other
bodies.’ Our own self puts on the garb of all the innumerable
creatures on the earth and in the whole creation. If you feel jeal-
ous of any one, if you hate any one, if you entertain any wrong
emotions towards any one, know that you entertain those emo-
tions to your own yesterday's self, your own self in other garbs.
The wrong emotion will not last even a split-second.

(172)

THE SPIRIT IS OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION

There is something unique in the manner in which the
Lord handles the situation created by Arjuna's collapse. The
moment Arjuna revealed that he was in the proper frame of
mind to receive the Lord's teachings, He gave him the highest
wisdom, the wisdom of the Self, the Imperishable Absolute.

Na Jayate Mriyate Va Kadachit

Nayam Bhutva Bhavita Va Na Bhuyah;

Ajo Nityah Sasvatoyam Purano

Na Hanyate Hanyamane Sarire.

The highest Ajati-Vada is taught here, No doubtit is one of
the arguments advanced by the Lord to induce Arjuna to fight.
But what an argument!

After thus appealing to Arjuna’s spirit and instilling into it
the highest Truth, the Lord descends into Arjuna’s intellect with
a view to convincing him there, too. “Even if you think that the
Atman is subject to birth and death, will you have nothing to
worry yourself about; for that which is born must die, that which
has been created has to be destroyed.” It is useless to worry
about circumstances over which we have no control. Thus the
Lord appeals to Arjuna's intellect, too, and silences it.

The Spirit and the intellect have been convinced; but that
is not all! The task must be completed in every detail. That is
Krishna all over.

The Lord, therefore, appeals to his sense of vanity and ta
his sense of duty.

Svadharmam Api Cha Avekshya Na Vikampitum Arhasi,

Dharmyaddhi Yuddhat Sreyonnyat Kshatriyasya Na Vidyate.

And, still "lower" down:

Akirtim Chapi Bhutani Kathayishyanti Te Avyayam,

Sambhavitasya Chakirtir Maranadatirichyate.

Nindanstava Samarthyam....
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174 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

The wise preceptor does not leave his disciple in this kind
of gloom, at the bottom of the pit of despair or threat of
ignominy. The disciple might completely succumb to it. So
Krishna at once gives His “positive” master-strokes. The “nega-
tive” side of His teaching had done its work. It had brought
home to Arjuna the futility of his attitude towards his kith and
kin. Without losing a moment, Krishna switches over to the pos-
itive mode of approach, and now tells him what he should do.

“Hatho Va Prapsyasi Svargam; Jitva Va Bhokshyase
Mahim." \|n either case, you do not lose at all! This forms the
opening of a series of positive commands. It is as it were the
preamble to the Discourse on Buddhi-Yoga—the Yoga of the
Bhagavad Gita.

THE TECHNIQUE OF BUDDHI-CULTURE

Buddhi-Yoga

The description of the Immortality of the Atman was itself a
prelude, as it were, to the grand Buddhi-Yoga which the Lord
had essayed upon Himself to teach to Arjuna.

“| have so far dealt with the intellectual analysis of Dis-
crimination; now hear Me expound the Yoga of Discrimination,
(or rather the Yoga of Buddhi-Culture or the Union of Buddhi
with the Self).”

Why? Because if you practise this Buddhi-Yoga, you will
snap the bonds of Karma and liberate yourself. Karma by itself
is neither binding nor liberating; but it is your attitude, your mo-
tive, the mode of your Buddhi that is either binding or liberating.
For, the senses and the mind are by themselves, are inert, in-
capable of any action, except in the light provided by Buddhi.
Normally the Buddhi is in active conjunction with the senses. It
supplies the motive-force. When this Buddhi is inturned to-
wards the Self, when it achieves the union with the Actionless
Self, then this motive-force gradually ceases. Actions per-
formed by the mind and the senses (owing to past momentum
or the mere play of the Prakriti) do not bind the Jiva to Samsara.
When the Prarabdha comes to an end there is an automatic lib-
eration of the Jiva; there is no rebirth,

It might take a long time to achieve the complete detach-
ment of the Buddhi from the mind and the senses. But once you
apply yourself to this Buddhi-Culture, once you make your
Buddhi feel that the joy it seeks lies in its union with the Self
within, it will turn more and more inwards. There is no loss at all
in the Sadhana, no retrogression. Progress may be slow or
rapid; but progress you will, and every fresh conquest over at-
tachment to senses and sense-objects will hasten the perfec-
tion of Buddhi-Yoga.

But you should strive. You should sincerely culture the
Buddhi. Here the Lord compares the Sadhaka to an agricultur-
ist. Mark the one-pointed concentration with which the agricul-

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176 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

turist applies his energies to the cultivation; with the one
thought of getting the richest harvest, he prepares the field, he
sows, he nourishes the young plant, he waters it regularly, he
removes the weeds that grow around it, and tends to it till the
time of the harvest protecting it from birds and beasts. Such
should be your attitude. Till you attain the goal—Self-realisa-
tion, you should have only that thought uppermost in your mind,
and whatever you do should be with that one thought alone.
Desire is the great thief who will rob you of your Buddhi. Be-
ware of him. Desire for the fruits of the actions you perform at
once draws the Buddhi away from the Self within and ties it with
the mind and the senses. There arises bondage to the senses
and their objects. This is a great obstacle to the Buddhi-Yoga
Samadhi.

Care not for the fruits of actions. For, they are the mirage
that lures you away from your path—Buddhi-Yoga. But, let nat
your dread of attachment to Karma-Phala induce you to refrain
from all actions. For, you cannot sit idle even for a second.
Whether you like it or not, ceaseless action is your lot, till you
liberate yourself from this relentless wheel of transmigration,
through the diligent practice of Buddhi-Yoga, detaching the
Buddhi from the mind and the senses. Dread of action is only a
sign that, whilst the Buddhi is still in conjunction with the mind
and senses (driven outwards by the force of Vasanas and
Trishnas latent in the mind) and shares their cravings, it wishes
to escape the consequences of action! This is quite obviously
an obstacle to Buddhi-Yoga. Buddhi-Yoga is neither de-
sire-prompted activity nor fearborn inactivity; but itis an active
practice of Sakshi-Bhava.

The greatest characteristic of this ineffable state is equa-
nimity, a peace that surpasseth all understanding. !s this peace
the peace of an inert stone? No, it is not the peace of the grave-
yard, It is an active bliss-peace born of communion with God,
the fountain-source of Peace, Power and Bliss. Peace should
not be mistaken for inertia and dejection of spirit; Sattva should
not be mistaken for Tamas; and selfless service should not be
mistaken for soulless service.

THE TECHNIQUE OF BUDDHI-CULTURE 177

Forget not that the Buddhi-Yogi is in conscious contact
with the Supreme Power within himself. Absence of mental
commotion and riot of senses help clear thinking and efficient
action. The Yogi is an expert at his job. He is a master of the art
of life itself. In fact, only he lives; others only exist.

PERFECTION IN BUDDHI-YOGA

Now, we come to the description of one who has attained
perfection in the Buddhi-Yoga. Bhagavan had insisted that the
Buddhi-Yogi would not evade action, would not shirk his re-
sponsibilities, would not run away from the world, would not
seek an easy way of escape from what is generally known as
the burden of life. He will, on the contrary, face them. He will
conquer them by the unique Buddhi-Yoga which the Gita
teaches. He will, in a word, let his mind and senses work in the
light of the Buddhi that ever remains in the communion with the
Lord within the heart. The Buddhi is then filled with Sattva;
therefore, his thoughts are Sattvic—pure, noble and divine.

Buddhi-Yoga is the fulfilment of all desires; therefore, the
Yogi is desireless. This is the most important characteristic of
the Buddhi-Yogi and therefore this fact is stressed both at the
commencement and at the conclusion of this description of the
Sthithaprajna by the Lord.

The desireless man, by virtue of his desirelessness itself,
is freed from the pairs of opposites. What is Duhkha if not the
sequel of the non-fructification of desires? What is Sukha if not
the gratification of desires? When desires do not exist, there-
fore, neither Sukha nor Duhkha exist. The Buddhi-Yogi re-
ceives the sense-impressions as mere sense-impressions
without designating them, without labelling them Duhkha and
Sukha.

When this designating ceases, then Raga-Dvesha com-
pletely ceases. No object gives him pain; none gives him plea-
sure either. Therefore he has no likes and dislikes.
Raga-Dvesha and Suhkha-Duhkha are co-eval and co-exis-
tent. One dies at the death of the other. This vicious circle is
broken by the Buddhi-Yogi abruptly by the technique of
Buddhi-Yoga.

But, this Buddhi-Yoga is not so easy as it might appear at
first sight. The Indriyas have been endowed with a naturally

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PERFECTION IN BUDDHI-YOGA 179

outgoing tendency; that is the work of Avidya into which man
has been born to release himself through Buddhi-Yoga. The
power of Avidya is so great that it requires a greater amount of
divine wisdom to prevent its functioning. Even when the
Sadhaka is endeavouring to control the senses and the mind
and to unite the Buddhi with the Lord within, he will often find
that a moment's laxity gives time enough for the Indriyas to
draw away the mind and the Buddhi outward to objective enjoy-
ments. Seemingly, there is a loss of effort; but further effort
soon places the Sadhaka on the firm ground of spiritual prog-
ress once again. The aspirant would do well to be vigilant till the
last stage of Buddhi-Yoga.

To enable him to do this, the Lord gives two distinct stages
in his spiritual progress. One is where the senses have been
starved by strenuous Abhyasa of Buddhi-Yoga. Continuous ex-
ercise of discrimination, constant Vichara have endowed the
Sadhaka with a certain amount of control over the mind and the
senses. The senses do not run after the objects now. They are
comparatively quiet. But that is not all. There is a residual po-
tency at that time; the capacity is left behind to enjoy the ob-
jects. The taste lingers, even when the craving has been
destroyed. Whereas there is no longing for an object in its ab-
sence, yet there is a capacity to enjoy it when it presents itself.
This capacity might often assume the form of a subtle desire
also. If allowed to grow, it might once again assume mightier
proportions. Therefore, the aspirant should not relax his vigi-
lance even at this stage. It is when there is complete merger of
the Buddhi in the Lord, when there is a complete extinction of
the individual ego-sense, that the Sadhaka is completely free
from even this taste of enjoyment. The first is the negative state
of restraint; the second is the positive state of Self-realisation.

Bhagavan gives us a clear analysis of the process of
downfall in order that we might avoid it altogether, that we might
beware even at the first sign of spiritual tragedy. Here again the
part Buddhi plays in achieving complete success in Yoga is
clearly brought out. Says the Lord: “When the man thinks of the
objects, there arises an attachment to them." The Buddhi which

180 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

the Sadhaka should constantly aim at keeping in union with the
Self is drawn out. There arises a desire for enjoying that object.
Then likes and dislikes manifest themselves fully. The Buddhi,
torn between the senses, is deluded and confused. The person
perishes, i.e., he entirely loses sight of his goal, and is led
astray. Again we notice what great importance the Lord atta-
ches to the proper culture of Buddhi. Itis through Buddhi-Yoga
that man rises to Godhead; it is through Buddhi-Nasa (destruc-
tion of Buddhi) that he suffers ruination.

In order that the Sadhaka may not come by such a set
back in his Sadhana, the Lord gives a graphic description of his
duty. Just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, the
Sadhaka should withdraw the senses into himself and offer his
Buddhi to the Lord within. The mind will no doubt run out again
and again; and gradually should he restrain its outward activi-
ties and make it introvert. (Vide chapter V1)

Incidentally, itis amusing to note how Krishna pays Arjuna
back in his own coin. At the close of the first chapter, Arjuna,
when he prided himself in his knowledge of Sastras, gave the
Adharma-chain and logically explained to the Lord how engag-
ing in the war would surely result in the destruction of the whale
tace and of his own self. In a strikingly similar way, the Lord
brings home to him that it is not by engaging himself in battle
that such a catastrophe would result, but the Vishaya-
Chintana, Anatma-Chintana, by wrong mental attitude, by not
practising of Buddhi-Yoga. Very beautifully, the Lord points out
to Arjuna that Dharma and Adharma are within man and not to
be sought in external happenings. In other words, Bhagavan
says: “Your line of argument is deluded phantasy: now hear Me
expound Dharma.” Krishna was a humourist!

In conclusion, Bhagavan again stresses the supreme
need of rooting out all desires. Desires should not be sup-
pressed but fulfilled, fulfilled but not gratified. The Sadhaka
should, by constant practice of Buddhi-Yoga, by constant
Vichara, convince himself that real Bliss is within himself, that
all that he seeks outside is in reality within himself. The course
of desire itself would be changed now. His desires will flow in-

PERFECTION IN BUDDHI-YOGA 181

ward now. He will find a fulfilment of all his desires in his own
self. That is the condition in which he will experience Supreme
Peace. If he remains in such a peaceful state till the end of his

present incarnation, he will attain the Supreme State of Brah-
man.

TO WORK OR NOT TO WORK

Aproblem that has baffled the minds of the best thinkers
and philosophers through the ages has been the correct rela-
tion of action to Realisation. Ceaseless has been the debate
aver this issue, one section holding that action with its inevita-
ble reaction could only lead to bondage, Samsara or transmi-
gration; and the other insisting that inaction would lead to sin
(and, of course, consequent transmigration). Lord Sri Krishna
calls a truce with His Final Word: “To work is better than not to
work.”

Here He seems to take the side of the Karma Kandis who
vigorously denounced renunciation. In fact, He gives a graphic
description of how the invisible divine beings (Devas) are re-
lated to mortals here on earth by Yajna. Devas shower their
blessings on a society that propitiates them with Yajna. There-
fore, work is necessary. Life would be impossible here without
activity of some sort; therefore, work is necessary. All created
beings are governed by the Law of Three Gunas of Prakriti,
whose interplay compels action; therefore, no one can, even
for a second, remain inactive. Moreover, man is fond of imitat-
ing others. Everyone follows the leader. Everyone is a leader of
some group of people or other, whether it be a political party, re-
ligious sect, commercial association, social group, or at least
his own family members. Laziness is infectious. And, laziness
would inevitably lead to national ruin. Therefore, everyone
should be active if only to set an example to others and thus to
prevent national degradation.

But, hardly a few minutes before this the Lord had em-
phatically condemned the low aspirations of those who,
through the performance of rituals, desired to attain Heaven
“All the Vedas are circumscribed by the Three Gunas; be thou
above them!" He commanded. Now does He not reverse His
decision? No; He explains it!

Amarvellous new interpretation is given by the Lord to the
word ‘Yajna’ and that reconciles the contradiction. It is Yajna

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TO WORK OR NOT TO WORK 183

that saves man from bondage! Actions bind man to Samsara;
Yajna releases him. And this Yajna is not a religious rite, but a
spirit to pervade every one of your actions.

The ritualistic Yajna (the fire-oblation) is itself symbolic.
Whilst offering the things that he loves most into the fire and
seeing them burnt to ashes, man develops a detachment, an
inner feeling that nothing is lost as the Devas are propitiated
thereby. This detachment and this spirit of charity are to per-
vade every one of our daily actions. Give. Give. And give yet
more share whatever you have with those that need it. Your
wealth, your knowledge, your strength, and the love of your
heart, are there for you to share them with all; for you to offer
them as glorious oblations in this Eternal Transcendental Fire
of Brahma-Karma, i.e., the entire creation.

The man who offers an oblation of ghee into the fire does
not expect that the fire would give back the ghee to him. But he
expects that a rich reward would await him in another region,
viz., Heaven. Similarly, you, when you work, when you serve,
when you give, should not expect to be rewarded here—in
other words, your actions should be perfectly detached and
desireless—and a rich reward awaits you in a subtler plane
here itself! That reward is Self-realisation. This is the Yajna that
is a perfect blend of the Karma Kanda and the Jnana Kanda.
Here the person is inactive while ceaselessly acting!

He knows that all actions belong to Nature. He knows that
it is the Lord’s Will that impels everyone to act. He, therefore,
does not feel that he is the doer. When this attitude is devel-
oped and perfected, the actions do not really emanate from him
but from Him, the Supreme Lord who is ever intent on the wel-
fare of all His children. Why is He so active? Why was He ever
active when He took birth here in this world as a human being?
That is the Sacrifice of the Supreme, Almighty, All-merciful
Lord, our Father, Mother and all.

Remember: Creation itself is the Lord's Sacrifice. The
Lord sacrifices Himself into this infinite multiplicity. Protection of
this Creation involves a further sacrifice on His part. He sacri-
fices His transcendence and comes down as Avataras. And,

184 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

while here He works ceaselessly, His life itself is a long sacri-
fice.

So do the Great Ones here busy themselves for
Lokasamgraha. They renounce all actions into Him; they know
that He is the real doer, they are not. Wonder of wonders: even
these Great Ones seem to be doing the very same things that
the ignorant men do; but inwardly they are detached. That
makes all the difference. They do not disturb anyone's belief,
but guide each one from vigorous action to Supreme Inaction.

What have these Great Ones to achieve by their actions?
They have to gain nothing more. They have attained Self-reali-
sation, the Supremest Gain. They are self-satisfied; they de-
light in their own Self. Need they do any action? (Gita III, 17-18)

And, this wonderful utterance of the Lord has two mean-
ings. The actions of such a Great One are not motivated by any
selfish desire. They are one with the Lord; and their actions,
too, share His Self-sacrificing Service of Protection and Cre-
ation. They do not act; but He acts through them. They are free
from desire and egoism; and therefore, they are not bound by
the actions. On the contrary, their actions tend to liberate not
only themselves but other Jivas, too.

They go on doing this till one day, their personality is com-
pletely ‘lost’ or merged in the Infinite, they withdraw themselves
totally from phenomena, transcend all Gunas, go beyond Cre-
ation itself and remain in absolute communion with the Self, the
Brahman and while awaiting the dissolution of the physical
sheath, they have no need to do anything.

THE PROBLEM OF SIN

What is sin, if nothing happens here but the Will of God?

There is a similar question that those who have academi-
cally studied Vedanta ask: ‘What is meant by attainment of
Atma-Jnana or God-realisation when God is ever present ev-
erywhere and He alone is?

God-realisation constitutes realising God. The self-lumi-
nous God has not been realised by the deluded Jiva blinded by
ignorance. He has only to open his eyes to attain that Jnana to
know that God is ever present everywhere and that He alone is.

Similarly it is the ignorance that the Will of God alone is
done in the universe that constitutes sin. For, this forgetfulness
leads to desire; desire to anger; anger to confusion of Buddhi;
and this in turn cuts loose the senses and the mind to play
havoc. Not that the wicked man can thus alter the Divine Will in
the least; but he is lost in the snare of sensuality, of ignorance,
of Raga-Dvesha, of desire and anger.

There cannot be a better illustration of this great truth than
the ‘plot’ chosen by the Lord to enact the Gita-Dharma. The
Mahabharata war was about to begin. It was the Lord's Will.
Those who realised that it was so—e.g., Bhishma—would at-
tain Liberation from Samsara even though they might have en-
gaged themselves in the terrible carnage. Those who did not
realise this truth, those who thought that they fought, those who
had motives other than doing the Will of God, knowingly and
willingly bound themselves by the chain of Karma.

That is why the Lord warns Arjuna again and again in the
Gita: “The congenital nature of a Jnani and a layman will ex-
press itself.” “Do not neglect your duty, even if it is fraught with
apparent sin." “It is better to do one's duty, than to seek to do
another's."

When does a person refuse to do one's duty or seek to
take upon himself the duties of another? When he has some
motive other than doing the Will of God that has placed him in
some circumstances, endowed with some potentialities,

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186 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

blessed him with a particular temperament. He has a base de-
sire, however righteous he may make it look externally. This
desire itself is sin; it is the progenitor of countless sins. This
man neglects the potentialities and the faculties with which he
has been endowed, instead of utilising them to the best advan-
tage for the purification of his heart and doing the Will of God.
He aspires to achieve some illusory ‘goal/—which is usually
some material advantage or, at best, name and fame—by
adopting another's function for which he is usually a misfit. Is it
hard to understand that he would roll down from ruin to greater
ruin?

The story of the saintly butcher to whom the Pativrata di-
rects a half-baked Yogi, which occurs in the Mahabharata, illus-
trates this truth. The stories of even modern saints are replete
with illustrations of this truth. They have clearly demonstrated
to us that the performance of one’s own duties is itself the door-
way to Moksha. Their actions outwardly seem to be very much
like those of a layman, but with this essential, all-important, dif-
ference: the layman is attached to his actions, the Jnani is de-
tached. An act which is considered one's duty can be more
easily and naturally performed with mental detachment, than
an act which one wilfully performs out of the promptings of an
ambition or a desire. The performance of one’s own duty tran-
quillises the mind; and the satisfaction that flows from the fulfil-
ment of one's duty washes away the dirt that covers the mind;
whereas, ambition and desire that impel one to take on an-
other's duty agitates the mind, makes it more impure, breeds
vices and spells ruin.

This demon of desire is seated in the Indriyas, mind and
Buddhi. Seated in the Indriyas he seeks to enjoy the objects.
Seated in the mind he seeks power and position, name and
fame, worldly happiness and pleasure. Seated in the Buddhi he
makes it forget the Indwelling Presence, and clouds the power
of right discrimination. Seated in this manner he seems to be
an all-powerful, invincible foe.

No: Lord Krishna assures that this demon of desire, too
can be conquered. Tact is necessary. Wisdom is necessary.
Patience is necessary. Then success is assured. First the

THE PROBLEM OF SIN 187

indriyas should be controlled. This is done through the practice
of Sama, Dama and Titiksha. Then the second fortress of de-
sire—the desire-filled mind—must be attacked. Desire can be
eradicated from this fortress with the help of Uparati, Sraddha
and Samadhana. Then eradicate desire from the Buddhi itself
by means of Mumukshutva (a strong yearning for Liberation).
At the same time cultivate Vairagya and practise Viveka or dis-
crimination. Vairagya and Abhyasa, as Lord Krishna and
Patanjali Maharshi emphatically declare, are the only two
weapons with which you can bring the mind and senses under
your perfect control.

Fear not. Despair not. Be not diffident. Even this seem-
ingly all-powerful enemy of wisdom—desire—can be con-
quered. The senses are greater than sense-objects. The mind
is greater than the senses. Buddhi is greater than the mind. But
the Self is greater than all. Tat Tvam Asi! Beloved Seeker! Thou
art That! Therefore, arise, awake, destroy this great en-
emy—desire, and attain Knowledge of the Self here and now.

May God bless you with Self-knowledge! May you roam
about freely as a Jivanmukta in this very birth, nay this very
second, is my humble prayer!

WHERE IS GOD?

To Arjuna, Krishna was always a good friend. The Su-
preme Love that the Lord is, never demanded anything more.
When the war began, Krishna became Arjuna's charioteer: and
Arjuna assumed the role of the Lord's master. When misplaced
mercy shook his heart, Arjuna, from his superior seat flourished
before the Almighty his knowledge of the Sastras as the Pandit
would before an ignorant one. When the Lord's Sweet Smile
dispelled a little of his own ignorance, Arjuna fell on his knees
and called himself the Lord's disciple. When the Lord boldly re-
vealed to him the Great Truths that have been recorded in the
Second and Third Chapter of the Gita—truths not quite in ac-
cordance with his own conceptions of what was right and
proper—a doubt must have arisen in Arjuna’s mind: “What is
this new philosophy that Krishna is preaching to me? Is it in ac-
cordance with the ancient Dharma? Who is Krishna to assert
these truths?”

Therefore, at the commencement of the Fourth Chapter of
the Gita, the Lord quietly puts in a word: “Arjuna, | taught this
Yoga to Lord Surya (the Sun-God),” and then quietly goes on to
describe how the all devouring time wore away the splendour
of these Truths too. Arjuna is puzzled all the more! “What You,
my beloved friend Krishna, You taught the Yoga to the Sun?”
He had not yet fully realised that Krishna was the Supreme
Para Brahman Himself. Krishna takes advantage of this su-
preme opportunity to bestow upon His friend-disciple precious
knowledge of a Supreme Truth. “Arjuna,” says the Lord, “innu-
merable have been My births and so have been yours. | know
them all; you know not.” When the Lord comes into, descends
into (Avatara), manifestation, He deliberately enters into the
realm of His own Maya; when the Jiva takes birth here, it is a
helpless plaything of Maya. The former is similar to the case of
a Yogi who consciously enters a dark cave for practising medi-
tation; he knows where he is and he knows how to get out of the
cave whenever he wills. The latter is similar to the case of a
man who is thrown into the cave when he is unconscious under

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WHERE IS GOD? 189

the effect of chloroform. When he wakes up to the conscious-
ness of the external world, he is terror-stricken; he knows not
where he is, he knows not how to get out of the cave; even his
own attempt to do so proves only painful (he knocks his head
here and there in the darkness) and futile till at last he gets the
aid of one who has consciously walked into the cave and
knows how to get out of itand who, in his mercy, leads the other
man also out of it.

“Very well,” thinks Arjuna, “but how are we to recognise
You?" Few recognised Krishna as God when He lived and
played His Human Role on earth. God, when He descends into
the world of men, behaves like those around Him often as
though He is in lesser power and wisdom. Divinity does shine
through all these outer cloaks; but how can we recognise It?

“Aruna,” says the Lord, “whenever unrighteousness
threatens to overpower righteousness, | incarnate Myself here
in order to protect Dharma, crush Adharma and re-establish
righteousness." Bhagavan's Words here deserve to be medi-
tated upon every day, especially because He promises that "he
who truly understands My Birth and My Actions in this world is
released from the wheel of birth and death.”

Recognise Him as present where a noble one practises
Dharma. Recognise Him as incarnate at the holy spot where
His Names are sung. Recognise Him in the very person of one
who diligently practises the great virtues that sustain life upon
earth—virtues like truthfulness, cosmic love, purity, nobility,
magnanimity, charity, selflessness. No one knows in which
Form He is present; rather, in which Form is He not present? In
which being on earth is He not present? He is specially mani-
fest in that Form or that Being that contributes even an iota for
the preservation of righteousness. Open your eyes; wake up.
See the Lord, Thy God, manifest here before you, re-incarnate
before your very eyes in the form of your parents who give you
wholesome advice to pursue the path of righteousness, of your
Guru who points out to you the Great Goal that is the very
source of all righteousness, of all saints and sages, of all the
men of God, of all devotees of the Almighty, of all wise men, of
all the national and international leaders who work for peace

190 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

and humanweal. Open your eyes and see the Lord re-incar-
nate in the cow that silently teaches you selflessness, in the
dog that teaches you faithfulness, in the ass that teaches pa-
tience and forbearance; the Lord incarnated Himself in Ani-
mal-Forms, too, in the previous Yugas in order to warn you not’
to neglect these manifestations of God, and to awaken us to
the truth that from them we can learn a great lesson to guide
our life. In the very act of recognising the elements of righteous-
ness, wherever they may exist, the Lord re-incarnates here.
The righteous thought is God. A divine thought is God. A sub-
lime sentiment is God. A noble, inspiring and elevating word is
God. And, the Lord is re-incarnate here in a special form, a po-
tent mass of divine splendour in the spiritual preceptor, in the
sage or saint whose very presence on earth dispels the dark-
ness of ignorance and routs out the undivine forces.

Now you realise why the Lord declares that one who
knows His Incarnation and His Actions thus is released from
the wheel of birth and death. Who would not like to incarnate
the Lord in his own heart, in his own mind, in his own soul every
day in every way? God exists here in all the divine forces of
righteousness. Understanding this, incarnate Him in your heart
by keeping your heart pure and divine, in your mind by always
thinking sublime thoughts, in your soul by keeping it ever holy,
and in your entire being by living for the sake of the preserva-
tion and propagation of Dharma. Know it for certain that you will
here and now, instantly, be released and liberated once and for
all.

A correct understanding of this law of righteousness will
free you from all fear, from all attachments and from all aversion
at once. Mark well that the Lord does not say that at any time
righteousness will be defeated, will be destroyed. No, no. no.
How can it be, for righteousness is God Himself? The very na-
ture of phenomena is duality. Samsara is founded upon the
principle of duality. The dual forces of good and evil, heat and
cold, righteousness and unrighteousness— invariably exist in
all created things. Their proportion is very fluctuating. Some-
times, one seems to predominate; sometimes the other. Even
when pious men cry out: “Dharma is in danger!” it only means

WHERE IS GOD? 191

that Dharma is in as great a danger as a rock is when a huge
mud-pot is hurled upon it; as flame is when a moth attacks it in
great fury; as a sharp knife is when a packet of butter attempts
to cut it (the knife) into two, Remember: Satyameva Jayate,
truth alone triumphs (not truth triumphs ultimately) here now
and always everywhere. Adharma exists here only in order to
inspire you to be righteous to align yourself with the divine
forces of righteousness here, thus to re-incarnate the Lord in
your own heart, and to release yourself from the wheel of birth
and death. If you are righteous, you not only achieve this grand
purpose of life, but at the same time you weaken the cosmic
forces of evil by non-cooperating with them and you strengthen
the cosmic forces of righteousness by adding your own weight
to them. This aspiration in you to become righteous is the incar-
nation of the Lord that he has promised in the Gita. Look for
Him there. You will always enjoy success, prosperity and inef-
fable bliss. You will be freed from fear: for you will realise that as
you are on the side of the Divine forces, you will never experi-
ence misery, failure or pain. You will understand the Divine Law
that governs all creation; and you will not be attached to any-
thing, for attachment is the foremost form of unrighteousness.
You will be the abode of Divine virtues; your entire being will be
divine. In short, you will share His Nature, you will attain what
the Lord calls ‘Mat-Bhava’ (My Bhava). You become one with
Him. You will shine as a Beacon light to the entire world. You
will roan about freely in this life here and now as a Jivanmukta.
May God bless you to become a Yogi, saint or sage here and
now!

At every turn in the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord springs sur-
prises at us! After assuring us that He, too, has had “a number
of births,” the Lord suddenly declares: “He who knows Me as
the Unborn, Eternal, and the Supreme Lord of the Universe, is
the wise among men and he is released from all sins.”

Where is God? Who is God?

Tum again to the Gita for an answer. Krishna gives us a
picturesque description of His real nature: “The entire creation
is strung on Me as beads on a thread;” “! am the thread that

192 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

links everything in creation.” It is not as though the created be-

ings are separate entities and the Lord is a connecting link. He

is the seed of all creation. In that wonderful Sloka:
Brahmarpanam Brahma-havih Brahmagnau

Brahmana Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahma-karma Samadhina

He emphatically declares that He and He alone exists as
everything. He says: “I am the origin, continuum and culmina-
tion of all beings." He warns us, too, not to think that He is just
all this creation and nothing more by asserting that merely by a
small part to Himself He pervades the creation!

All is God and God alone. Everything is God. There is
nothing here but God. But, then why does Bhagavan say that
He incarnates Himself again and again?

There is a mysterious power in this universe. It is not
something apart from God. It is His Power only. It has three dis-
tinct currents: Sattva which is the tranquil, pure and resplen-
dent; Rajas the dynamic and passionate; and Tamas the dull
and inert. These three combine in various degrees and propor-
tions and constitute the created world. Such is the nature of this
mysterious power that the pure aspect is nearer the Reality, the
dynamic-aspect disturbs its perception and the dull-aspect
thickly veils it. The dynamic (Rajasic) aspect is mostly the de-
ciding factor; for all created beings have a good share of this
quality of Maya. Itis because of this that the mind insists on be-
ing restless, though restlessness tires it. It is because of this
mysterious illusory power that the human mind imagines the
enemy in one and the beloved in another, beauty in one and ug-
liness in another, success in some event and failure in another,
heat in one condition and cold in another, praise in some words
and censure in others. And, it is on account of the presence in
large measure of this quality in the person that he reacts in a
Rajasic, brutal, undivine way to circumstances and events, and
this gives birth to unrighteousness.

In order to restore the balance—in other words, in order to
reduce this Rajas—born evil and to increase the Sattva which
is nearer to Himself—the Lord comes into the world of man in

WHERE IS GOD? 193

various ways. The purpose is to restore Dharma; and, there-
fore, we always find that His incarnation is an embodiment of
Dharma; though the forms vary in accordance with the time and
the need.

Human conduct is dynamic. There is continual change in
man's mode of thought, his understanding and his outlook. The
play of the three Gunas goes on within him and constantly vary
the elements of righteousness and unrighteousness in him.
This itself is part of the Divine Play that the Lord should look on
while Maya plays Her role and brings about an increase in un-
righteousness and then re-incarnate Himself in order to in-
crease righteousness. Thus, we have the various Avataras of
the Lord described in the Puranas. This is the cosmic play.

In the individual, too, the three Gunas operate, constantly
bringing about various states of consciousness. His duty con-
sists therefore in increasing the Sattva in him so that he may
approach God near and ultimately attain a Vision of God and
union with Him.

In the Gita the Lord has given, in order to help the
Sadhaka in this regard, a complete catalogue of Sattvic things
resorting to which he will completely transcend the limitations
imposed upon his consciousness by Rajas and Tamas. In-
crease in Sattva makes his perception subtle. He is able to
transcend the realm of name and form and perceive the Lord,
the Supreme Substratum underlying all names and forms.

Not only this. The Lord has in His Supreme Mercy for His
children, given them in the Gita another wonderful prop with the
help of which he can reach the realm of the Infinite. Study the
Vibhuti Yoga Adhyaya. The Lord describes Himself as the vari-
ous good things in this world with which we come across daily
or frequently. “| am all this," He says. We are reminded again
that That Supreme Impersonal Absolute alone appears as all
these. Every time we perceive these objects, we are reminded
of Him. Thus, side by side with the increase of Sattva in us, we
are enabled to live in continuous God-consciousness. The in-
crease in Sattva within enables us to remove the veil of name
and form and to perceive the Essence in them. Gradually the

194 ETHICS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA

consciousness expands and we realise that in al/ names and
forms He and He alone exists. Eating, drinking, sleeping. see-
ing, speaking, tasting, smelling—all the time, everywhere, we
are aware of the Supreme Presence of the Lord in and through
all names and forms. That is the Truth the Reality, God, that in-
carnates Itself again and again in order to awaken man to the
true nature of God. That is the Goal. The Bhagavad Gita en-
ables you reach that goal through a path which is pleasant,
smooth and joyous, easy to tread—a direct road to God-reali-
sation. May you all tread the Path; may you all prsummum
bonum actise the yoga of the Bhagavad Gita and attain the of

life in this very birth!

About This Book:

Soon after Sri Swami Sivananda’s dynamic All-India
Tour in 1950, the idea occurred to him that a book must
be written on the “Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita”. This
precious and highly inspiring volume is the fruit of that
Sat-Sankalpa.

These illuminating essays on the Gita were first
published by the “Voice of Sivananda’ the official organ
of the Divine Life Society, Madurai Branch.

Aseries of essays on “The Lessons of the Bhagavad
Gita” which, too, were published serially in that Journal,
are also included in the present volume.

We are confident that this volume would prove to be
of great benefit to seekers after Truth.

THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATIO
ISBN 81-7052-099-1 ES221 Rs. 85/-